Son of Darkness
by NeonZangetsu
Summary: A cruel twist of fate cast an innocent infant from one realm to another...and brought him to evil's doorstep. Found and raised on Apokolips, adopted and mentored by the mighty Darkseid himself, the tale of a gutsy ninja dies before it is ever born. He is the Son of Darkness, and now he must choose to to live in the shadow or walk in the light. NarutoxHarem? Pairing undecided.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: MISS ME GUYS?!**** I'm sick almost daily and I feel like crap, as to that effect. But nevertheless, despite this pesky little hiccup-I wanted to get word out any way I could, and since for some strange reason the site is being buggy, I wasnt able to work on this anywhere near as much as I would've liked. Still...so many reviews!**

**I love you guys so much! *Cries***

**Now, this chapter might be a bit confusing consider I haven't done something like this in awhile. With good reason! Life and surgeries have once more paid me a nasty little visit, and this idea has been on the backburner for ages since. This was REALLY had to write; exhausting, actually, trying to get a good feel for Darkseid's persona. But, I'm proud of it, and I hope you enjoy it as I finally get some rest.**

**This story was birthed from the idea that I've been rewatching Justice League as well as the Superman series as a whole and it just sort of..popped.**

**Well...here ya go! =D Sorry if its short! But hey, at least I'm back! And now, I present to you...**

**...Son of Darkness**!****

_"What have we here...?"_

_~?_

**Son**

At long last, the sealing was completed. Minato looked down at his son, his child-his heir!-fighting to keep the smile on his face as blood seeped out of the corners of his mouth. His wife Kushina was in front of him, as they both had been pierced in the stomach protecting their son from one of the Kyuubi's claws. His wife had been shedding tears for their progeny, his name stitched ever-so-lovingly into the blankets covering him. They coud not however, stifle his cries.

Minato couldn't help but feel guilty at what he had done to his baby boy. He knew some people may dislike him, but he believed they would see him as the little hero he was. He had to. He must. To think otherwise was to die with regret and that was something he dare not do.

In a way, this killed two birds with one stone by turning his son into a Jinchuuriki; he protected his village with one hand and gave his son a power to help fight against the masked man that had wrought this horrible fate with another.

Then, something strange occurred.

Naruto, poor, little Naruto, was surrounded by a strange, swirling vortex and disappeared. Just like that. There was no warning-no precedent-no other explanation for this sudden phenomenon. His son, and the blankets swadling him on the altar, were suddenly gone in a burst of golden energy, leaving nothing but empty air behind.

Shock filled both parents' faces as they cried out for him, but their bodies fell lifeless and listless; their souls going to the shinigami before they even struck the ground. Their last breath was their son's name.

_"Naruto!"_

* * *

From his perch in the treeline, Obito stifled a furious shout.

_Damnitall!_

His lone arm clenched and unclenched, fingers knotting against his palm with enough force to draw blood beneath the glove. It had all gone wrong. Wrong, wrong wrong _wrongwrongwrongwrong!_ He wanted to shout; to spit and snarl shriek and scream, but he held his silence. Something had gone wrong. Someone-something!-had interfered with him! He'd heard a woman's voice, a cheeky, _"Ohhh, I don't think so!"_ whispered in his ear-and then everything had been taken from him, his plot dismantled at the very last instant.

He knew that voice. Kushina's voice. The angry spite of a mother from beyond the grave, ruining his plans.

AGAIN!

Having made one last, desperate attempt to take the Kyuubi-rather, the host-he knew the fault lay with him, regardless of the unexpected interference. Furious with his old teacher, he had tried to grab the boy with his dojutsu and failed; his injuries and the outside intervention proving too much for him to properly grab hold of the whelp for anything more than a split second. Spirits, he didn't even know _where_ he was. He wasn't even entirely certain what'd happened. And if his mistake had somehow meddled with the seal, bungled it, somehow...released that energy...

Who knew where the boy might end up?

* * *

The Kyuubi yowled at its new confines and slammed against its cage in anger. It too realized that something was wrong, and with every fiber of its being it fought to escape the strange fate befalling it. Jaws snapped at the bars of its cage, claws clanking harshly, but to no avail.

It suddenly felt its power being drained, just as its Yin half had been. But this was no mere sapping of its strength. And it did not cease.

"**NO!" **it roared as its chakra was ripped from it, its body becoming little mor than a shriveled version of itself.

Upon the lock of the cage, the piece of paper with the kanji for _seal _on it flew off and a spiral lock replaced it, closing tightly.

The large mass of chakra flew through the tiny boy's body and lit it a shining golden white. Then it was flung...

_...somewhere else._

* * *

_(Simultaneously, an entire universe away...)_

Apokolips was hell.

Ask anyone who lived there.

The planet stank of death and despair on an almost primal level. Its very atmosphere proved oppressive to the tortured souls who called this place home. There was no good here-no semblance of kindness or generosity to be found. Only the most cruel and warped individuals dwelt here, and those who escaped their grasp still shuddered at the nightmares.

Everything here was vile and evil, a veritable living fire-pit, a world so devoid of life, so separated from reality that it was only accessible by Boom Tube or some other form of divine transportation. One could not simply fly here; a ship could not be chartered-not that any would dare come here!-to bring you to this desolate world. For it was ruled by a being of pure malice, a creature who would stop at nothing to extinguish all life in the world and rebuild it in his image.

The name of this entity was Darkseid.

And it was here, at his throne, that everything changed.

"Mighty Darkseid!" The great ruler of Apokolips glanced up, red eyes burning as a runner darted into his chambers. The man hurriedly abased himself at his feet, interrupting his musings. "There is trouble on Apokolips!" Even as he spoke a great quake shook the tower, threatening to send him stumbling away. A frown drew at his gray face.

_"Has New Genesis dared to attack me at long last?"_

"No, sire...it is a child!"

There was a silence.

_...what?"_

"A child! We have found a child! He simply appeared as though by magic my lord and he is destroying everything!"

Darkseid smiled.

_"Interesting. I would see this boy."_ a dark hand gestured, beckoning. _"Bring him to me at once."_

Impossibly, the runner pushed his head even further into the floor.

"W-W-We have tried, my great lord...but the parademons have been obliterated." At the deafening silence that filled the throne-room, he dared continue. "The boy is but an infant-but he is impossible to approach! All of our soldiers were atomized the moment they came near! Even Granny Goodness was...

_"Explain."_

Beads of sweat pooled onto the floor as the full weight of the tyran's gaze settled upon the unfortunate messenger. "S-Sire, he is surrounded by a strange energy field-it destroys any who dare get close! We cannot get past the red light!" He squeaked in fear as that giant shape suddenly rose from the throne, its muscular form descending the stairs in slow, heavy steps. Those eyes were burning even brighter now, condemning him for his cowardice.

"Lord? Surely you do not plan to-gah!

Empty atoms fluttered away on the breeze as the Omega beams struck him; disintegrating his body to nothingness. Darkseid chuckled then; it was a deep, throaty sound that made all the world shudder. A child, here, on Apokolips with such power. Fascinating. Wholly, utterly, fascinating...

_"Very well. I will see to the matter myself..._

**A/N: And so there you have it! Naruto raised on Apokolips...oh, this can't end well. One can only guess how he's going to turn out. Will he become an evil tyrant like his "Father?" or will he find some solace on the side of good with others? Only time will tell!**

**Pairing is wholly up in the air! Tbh, I'm leaning towards Lashina, but I'm open to suggestions. This is a SMALLxharem fic, two or three girls at most. EDIT: I won't accept any flames on the matter by a certain reviewer DoomMarine54, so that guy can go sod off. Remember guys, I write these stories to entertain the masses and because it is FUN; I like weaving these long yarns, not just for feedback, but because it is a true pleasure to excerise my talents for free when I'm not PUBLISHING books.**

**Of course, any and all feedback is greatly appreciated! =D**

**So...in the Immortal Words of Atlas...**

**...Review, Would You Kindly? And of course, enjoy the preview!**

**(Preview!)**

_"So." Naruto mused, gazing down at the city below, the harsh echo of the Boom Tube fading behind him. "This is Metropolis..._

_His first though was thus; it wasn't much to look at, this city of man._

_...I am disappointed." was his second._

_The loud blare of a truck's turned to a dull squeak as he reached out and crushed its hood, preventing the flatbed from flattening _him._ People screamed and fled before him, clamoring out of their cars, desperate just to get away from this alien menace. Cowards. A dusty breeze picked up his black cape and sent it swirling, the deep onyx color flapping harshly against his armor._

_When the police finally arrived, he was still standing there. Bullets pinged harmlessly of his exposed visage; stiching angrily, ineffectually against the black and orange lines of his armor. An eye twitched, those cold blue orbs swiveling upon the unfortunate officers._

_"Burn."_

_His eyes flashed red, and they died, their ashes fluttering to the breeze. He kept walking._

_There were people here, but not like him. Of course, no one was like him. Father had always told him he was special, that he had a gift, a purpose. He was nearly indestructible, blessed with the powers of flight and an unbelievable speed. Add to that regeneration and a cursed No, at twenty years of age, he found himself beginning to wonder just what that purpose was. Needless to say, he'd jumped at the chance to leave the planet and see what lay beyond the scorched pit of his own._

_Even it meant something as mundane as scouting-_

_"Hey! You!"_

_Naruto tilted his head at the sound of a new voice rippled through his ears, intruding upon his thoughts. Father had told him he might find strange beings here but this...his breath was taken away. When he turned, his eyes locked on her, and he found himself riveted._

_It was the first time he'd seen a girl-one who didn't try to kill him on sight._

_Flaxen hair framed a heart-shaped, cherubic face from which eyes the color of crystal blue shone. She looked young, maybe a few years or so his junior, but what baffled him was the outfit. What manner of armor was that? It left her stomach wholly exposed. What purpose did the cape serve?_

_She was...well, she was certainly something._

_Kara-Zor-El, otherwise known as Supergirl, stared back at him._

_"What on earth are you?" she frowned. "You don't look like any alien I've ever seen."_

_Naruto scowled._

_...oh, you'll soon realize that there's nothing like me."_

_**R&amp;R! =D**_


	2. Counting Bodies Like Sheep

**A/N: MISS ME GUYS?!**** I'm sick almost daily and I feel like crap, as to that effect. But nevertheless, despite this pesky little hiccup-I wanted to get word out any way I could, and since for some strange reason the site is being buggy, I wasnt able to work on this anywhere near as much as I would've liked. Still...so many reviews!**

**I love you guys so much! *Cries***

**Now, this chapter might be a bit confusing consider I haven't done something like this in awhile. With good reason! Life and surgeries have once more paid me a nasty little visit, and this idea has been on the backburner for ages since. This was REALLY had to write; exhausting, actually, trying to get a good feel for Darkseid's persona. But, I'm proud of it, and I hope you enjoy it as I finally get some rest.**

**This story was birthed from the fact that I've been rewatching Justice League as well as the Superman series as a whole and it just sort of...popped into my head.**

**Well...here ya go! =D Sorry if its short! But hey, at least I'm back! And now, I present to you...**

**...Son of Darkness**! Ah, and while we're on the topic, the Furies. Lashina, Gilotina, Mad Hariett, and Stompah. Those are the ones in this particular ficlet. In terms of appearance I'm going with their designs from Batman &amp; Superman: Apocalypse. And Darkseid, in my mind is, as ever, voiced by the impeccable Michael Ironside. Another warning. Naruto is DARK in this. He may change. He may not. Now that I've given thee that last disclaimer...****

****...away we go! Ar, THAR BE DEATH IN THIS CHAPTER!****

_"I am wrath. I am chaos. I am Naruto."_

_~the son of Darkseid._

**Counting Bodies Like Sheep**

He stood alone in the darkness, willing himself not to think.

Not to blink.

_Breathe._

Those blazing blue eyes did not need to see to tell that he wasn't alone in the murky black; to know that his opponent might attack at any time. Mind in a state of constant readiness he sat there and waited, determined to be ready for the next strike. But the mind is not a perfect thing, and some of his thoughts began to wonder in spite of his best efforts. His fingers twitched at his sides, betraying his impatience, sparks of scarlet quite literally crawling across his arms, itching for action.

_'I don't have all day,'_ he seethed, feeling his temper come to a boil. _'Attack me, already! ATTACK!'_

How long had he been trapped in this room with them? With this infernal heat, waiting for something-anything-to happen? He was an adult now-no longer a child by any means-yet even so he felt his patience stretching dangerously thin. Like strings pulled taut, ready to snap at a moments notice.

How...long?

Hours? Days? Months...? He no longer knew. He told himself he no longer cared, but he did. He was hungry, tired, weary from lack of sleep, but to say any of these would be a manifest sign of weakness, so he held his tongue. Sweat beaded across his forehead, beads of perspiration sluicing down his neck, dripping down several scars that pockmarked his chiseled torso. Part of him as intensely thankful that he _was _shirtless-otherwise his armor would be drenched in sweat by now.

As it were, he could already sense his trousers, little more than black pants he'd been wearing before coming here, becoming uncomfortably hot. With his strength, he knew he could break out of here at any time...and it was tempting. Horribly so. But to give into that very temptation meant he would fail that task...no matter how hungry he might be. Complete sensory deprivation was not something to be undertaken lightly, but he'd not chosen it lightly, either.

He was here, both to prove himself, and to make a choice. Blindfolded, his senses muted. All for a purpose.

_"You must learn to fight unarmed and unarmored,"_ his father had told him before placing him in this very chamber._ "Fate will not always allow you the trappings you're accustomed to. This will be your final test. Ready both your body and mind, fight only with the tools you readily have at hand. Learn the limits of your patience, and use that patience to choose your bodyguard from the four."_

He'd protested vehemently to the idea of a simply _having_ a bodyguard; but Darkseid insisted. It was for principle, if nothing else. Besides, today was his birthday, a coming of age. He was to receive his first assignment after many months as well as a "gift", and if he had to select a bodyguard in order to have both, so be it

So, in the interest of making things suitably fair, he'd divested himself of arms and armor, gone without food or sustenance for hours, even blindfolded himself.

The attack came almost before he could smirk.

"FINALLY!"

A white tether shot out from the black, opening his cheek. The wound healed instantly, his regeneration recognizing and re-stitching the injury in the time that it took his heart to beat. Once. In the next beat one of his hands shot out, snagging the cloth whip before it could retreat into the darkness. Then he yanked its owner into him.

_Hard._

"Ah!" The feminine gasp that followed was most pleasing indeed, as was the softness of the female form pressed flush against him, trapped in his arms. His lips curled into a slight smile as ebon tresses tickled his nose, whiskered cheeks dimpling in a rare smile. Ah, he knew who this was. His arms tightened around her waist, his grin broadening, eyes dancing beneath the blindfold.

"Well, well, well," he rumbled. "It seems I caught a little sneak thief. Hello, Lashina."

A soft squeak greeted him. "H-Hello, Lord Naruto. This is improper...

"Its my birthday." he hummed, nibbling her ear. "Er, I think. Might be off by a day or two. Anywho, I can be as improper as I want to be, soooo...

_Thunk._

The air rushed out of her lungs as he delivered a swift chop to her neck. She collapsed in his arms, her body lowered gently to the ground.

...sleep well."

"Is that it, girls?!" He called out into the black, standing once more. "I'm disappointed! You'll never make the cut at this rate!"

"Oh, we're just getting started." came the reply.

"I certainly hope so!"

Naruto shook himself, every cell of his body united in preparation for what was to come.

Had he given into impatience and discarded the blindfold, he would have been blinded by what came next. As it were his skin prickled with the sudden sensation of eat, ears pricking up when the flames roared to life-lighting the arena-he would have surely been overwhelmed. As it were, the sudden restoration of his senses

The cover of darkness lifted to expose the arena he knew he was in, but he needn't look to know who else was arrayed against him.

_'How many?'_

**"Three."** the voice answered, smoke roiling through honey. **"Four, if you count the one you just disabled."**

His smile grew.

Gilotina, with her snide wit, silken blond hair and white blades, itching for a chance to prove herself. Mad Harriet, that deranged grin and those deadly claws. Stompa, all burly body and super strength. Then Lashina, her white tethers of cloth capable of shattering stone, even steel. Personally he preferred the demure blackette to her "sisters", growing up together, she'd always been kind to him, which was why he'd gone easy on her-

_"Open your eyes, my son._" the resonate voice of his progenitor called from the balcony. _"You've humored them long enough."_

Blue eyes snapped open wide at the command, his body reacting instinctively to the order, a blast of heat lancing from his eyes to tear the thick fabric away. Useful thing, heat vision. All you had to do was learn how to channel energy through them without boiling your eyeballs. He'd lost quite a few before finally mastering that...as ever, he thanked the fates for his ridiculous regeneration. It wasn't quite up to par with his father's vile Omega Beams, but it was getting there.

Now, he turned to his agility.

A fist shot forward at blistering speed, almost faster than the naked eye could see. Impossibly, a palm was there to greet it. His palm. He allowed himself a mere moment of satisfaction as disbelief blossomed on Hariet's sneering face, then he buried _her _face in the stone, smashing her down with such force that her skulll actually _burst_, popping like a ripe grape. Pathetic. She had barely fallen before he flowed back into battle once more, pouncing upon Stompa, and Gilotina, with a whooping roar that chilled armies to the bone; entire nations had surrendered at that wary cry.

"Who wants to bleed next?!"

Remarkably, only one of them flinched.

Indeed, it was Stompa who flinched and _Gilotina_ who held her ground when he thundered forward; her swords flashing like white lightning as the distance shrank between them. A single slice from those blades would do more than cut if they made contact; the contact poison there, while not necessarily lethal, would cause hours of agonizing pain. It was an effective training tool, made all the more dangerous by the sheer skill with which his fellow blond wielded those blades. Ordinarily, one would be foolish to face a sword master unarmed.

**"Ready?"**

Then again, he was never unarmed. Never alone.

_'Do it.'_

Scarlet streamers sprang up from nowhere, coating his arms in writhing, living energy as he clashed with the blades, grasping them in dynamic deadlock. His grin grew as the crimson energy encircled him, obeying his will, conforming neatly to his body in a shimmering second skin. Chakra. He didn't know much about it; only the name, and that he could do incredible things with it. But even in that he was special -different- unique in a way no other could be.

After all, he had a demoness squatting in his stomach.

_Kurama._

Strong enough to make the Furies seem like children by comparison, so powerful that even the deadly Darkseid cautioned him in its use. But Naruto didn't fear the creature. On the contrary-he embraced her and all that she offered him. She was his friend, companion...everything. With her backing, he could do just about anything. Including make his skin harder than diamond.

_And_ acidic enough to burn through even the toughest of metals.

Sparks skittered wildly as the blades melted in his hands, their sharpened edges turning to putty in those crimson palms. Gilotina balked, but to her credit as a warrior, didn't let her fear show. She looked him square in the eye and snarled, refusing to back down.

"Aw, what's wrong?" he cooed at her as she discarded the ruined sabres. "Do I have to hold back?"

Gilotina merely grinned.

"Only if you want to get hurt!"

He wasn't expecting her to abandon her weapons; haul off and hit him the face like that. It barely tickled of course, and she burnt her hand in recompense for her temerity, but still. Naruto felt a spark of intrigue for his fellow blond begin to build into a small fire of genuine respect. Moreso when she actually tried to grapple with him, _knowing _she'd only have more pain to show for it, knowing she'd be knocked out. And she was.

Hmm. Feisty. Maybe he'd keep her.

Points for being ballsy, if nothing else.

**"You should be grateful I'm not the jealous type."** Kurama huffed loudly deep within the gate of his soul, teeth flashing menacingly in his mind's eye. **"Otherwise. I might have a problem with that thought of yours. Speaking of problems...behind you."**

_'Behind?'_

**"Behind. The burly one has finally recovered."**

Oh. Right. He'd forgotten about Stompa. Maybe he'd humor her. After all, crushing someone's hopes was one of the few things he enjoyed in life and...hey. That actually stung a little!

Pain flared across his arm as Stompa seized him from behind and wrenched his left arm, the limb screaming in protest at the impossible task thrust upon it. Ignore it. The sound of snapping bones reached his ears as he twisted, vaulted over her, forsaking that very limb to gain an advantage over his adversary. Pain! Ignore it. Agony! Ignore. His muscles were screaming. Breaking! Tearing!

_Ignore!_

_It!_

With that final decision his arm finally gave way and it was a sweet relief indeed. Laughter bubbled out of him. He was still laughing as Stompa stumbled backward in disbelief, taking his severed limb with her. And he only laughed even louder, the sound modulating to a darkened degree of madness. Flowing like water he swept his leg out, taking hers with it. He didn't give her time to recover; jumping on her, his lone fist crackling like lightning as it descended upon her visage, sending her sprawling.

"Congratulations," he hummed aloud, staring at the severed stump of his arm. "You wounded me. It won't last, but still, I suppose you should be proud of it."

She lashed out at him, blindly.

This time when his opponent struck, he was more than prepared.

He was _ready._

"See," he hummed as her clenched knuckles caromed harmlessly off his face, rebounded by the red sheen of his cloak. "That only worked the first time because I let you. When I'm actually trying? Yeah, not gonna work there, dumbass." This time, he did not pause when he struck.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

A faint numbness registered in his shoulder at the third blow, a sure sign that his lost arm was already growing back, and sure enough, by the time he glanced at it, a newly sprouted limb rewarded him. The fingers of that gave a mighty wrench and now it was _she_ who was missing a limb...her own arm severed horribly well above the elbow.

And, unlike him, she wouldn't be growing it back. Also unlike him, she wouldn't be living for much longer.

Stompah gasped up at him through broken, bloody teeth.

"M-Mercy...

Naruto paused, considering. Then he frowned.

"Mercy? Like the mercy you show my girls when you think I'm not looking? No no no no, Stompa, I think there's a problem with that. See, I like Lashina. Gilotina's alright, too, because lets face it, that woman has balls of steel. They've always done right by me, even before I had Darkseid's favor. They're good girls, in their own, twisted way. But you and Hariet?" His boot lashed out furiously, shattering what was left of her ribs. "You, pick on them," Another kick followed, "Attack them," kick, "Demean them," kick, "Abuse them...AND YOU THINK I WOULDN'T NOTICE?!"

A whimper answered him. "My lord...please...! It won't happen again!"

"You're right. It won't." Abruptly he paused, his foot hovering just over her throat, then impossibly, he lowered it to the ground. "You ask me for mercy...

The burly woman looked up at him pleadingly, her eyes shining with hope.

_...but for you, I know no such thing."_

His boot crushed down mercilessly on her neck, ending her life. He didn't move until the light faded from her eyes; he stood there and forced himself to watch, despite that small kernel of his self that inwardly quailed at the cold-blooded act of murder. _No,_ he told himself, it was justified. _She was a horrible woman, and I'll kill her as many times as Darkseid revives her. _Spitting codly upon her corpse, he turned to face the balcony where he knew the rest of the world was watching.

A glance, and then he turned to the last two members of the Furies. Incredibly, Gilotina was already getting back up, as was Lashina. Good. He'd gone easy on them-

Moments later the harsh sound of someone clapping reached his ears.

Facing the balcony, he watched impassively as dark figure detached itself from shadow, resolving into the likeness of the man-God-who had molded him into what he was today. It was like trying to stand under twenty-times gravity; something about his very presence made you want

_"Well done. Well done, indeed."_

Somehow, he managed to resist the compulsive urge to kneel as the dread lord alighted before him; even here on Apokolips, he bent knee to no one. He would respect the man who'd turned him into what he was today of course, even obey his wishes, but he would not bow.

Not ever.

_"You have done well, my son."_ the dark lord intoned, the thunder of his pride resonating with every syllable as he descended. _"As ever, your progress continues to exceeds even my grandest expectations. As a gift, I will leave Hariet and Stompa to rot as proof of your displeasure."_

Naruto grunted. "Good. I despise them. Hopefully their replacements will be better up to the task."

A rare smile graced the dark lord's features.

_"I take it you've chosen your bodyguard?"_

"I have."

His gaze turned back to the arena, to the two survivors he'd spared. His smile broadened. Darkseid frowned.

_"Lashina and Gilotina. Come forward."_

Both women stiffened, but did as they'd been bid, kneeling before him.

_"From this day forward you are no longer Furies. You are my son's honor guard. You are to safegaurd his life with your own, protect him with your own. His life is your life-your all-to be protected above all else."_ It was an unspoken rule that Darkseid would simply find others to be his Furies, that he was all but giving these two to him in order to make way for better, stronger warriors. Naruto didn't care. He had what he wanted. Who he wanted. Lashina dared a smile as he wrapped an arm around her waist, Gilotina smirked as he claimed hers moments later.

**"Lucky dog."**

Naruto grimaced, quelling the rebellious thought.

"As you say, Father."

_"Now my boy," _the great, grey-skin giant turned, regarding him,_ "I have a task for you. A minor matter, beneath your talents perhaps, but I'm certain you will enjoy it. There is a planet I've taken an interest in. Scout it, determine its weaknesses, and report back to me. You are to undertake this task alone." _That red-rimmed gaze briefly passed over the girls without a thought. _"Understood?"_

Naruto frowned. What was the purpose of having bodyguards if he wasn't allowed to take them with him? Nevertheless, he dared to ask:

"Father? What is the name of this planet?"

Impossibly, Darkseid's smile deepened.

_"Earth."_

* * *

The harsh crack of the portal opened without warning, obliterating the clouds.

"So." Naruto mused, gazing down at the city below, the harsh echo of the Boom Tube fading behind him. "This is Metropolis...

His first though was thus; it wasn't much to look at, this city of man. He descended towards the streets, forsaking the power of flight so that he might walk amongst the people. Learn them. Know them. It didn't take all that long for him to make his measure of them.

...I am disappointed." was his second.

He knew at once that he stood out in his black and orange armor, the bleak cape flowing at his back and horrid mantle over his head made him look like a knight out of medieval times. Many heads turned at his passing, some wondering who was, others questing if Halloween had come earlier. Idiots. He knew an insult when he heard one. Perhaps he should just-

BEEP!

The loud blare of a truck's horn reminded him that he'd stopped dead in the street.

Its honk became a dull squeak as he casually reached out and crushed its hood, preventing the flatbed from flattening him. All the momentum behind the vehicle died, its carcass slamming to a halt agains this palm in a blink of the eye. The driver, having somehow survived the impact, staggered out moments later. Incredibly, the fool had the gall to curse him!

"What the hell do you think you're doing, freak?! You wrecked my car! You're gonna pay for that you sonuva-URK!"

Whatever else he might've said died as strong fingers wrapped around his throat and squeezed. He perished without another word. Hmmph. So weak, these humans. So frail. So...fragile. Scoffing he tossed the poor sod away, leaving his corpse to be struck by another oncoming car.

People screamed and fled before him, clamoring out of their cars, desperate just to get away from this alien menace. Cowards. A dusty breeze picked up his black cape and sent it swirling, the deep onyx color flapping harshly against his armor.

When the police finally arrived, he was still standing there. A thought summoned the cloak. Bullets pinged harmlessly of his exposed visage; stiching angrily, ineffectually against the black and orange lines of his armor and chakra. An eye twitched, those cold blue orbs swiveling upon the unfortunate officers.

"Burn."

His eyes flashed red, and they died, their ashes fluttering to the breeze. He kept walking.

There were people here, but not like him. Of course, no one was like him. Father had always told him he was special, that he had a gift, a purpose. He was nearly indestructible, blessed with the powers of flight and an unbelievable speed. Add to that regeneration and a cursed No, at twenty years of age, he found himself beginning to wonder just what that purpose was. Needless to say, he'd jumped at the chance to leave the planet and see what lay beyond the scorched pit of his own.

Even it meant something as mundane as scouting-

"Hey! You!"

Naruto tilted his head at the sound of a new voice rippled through his ears, intruding upon his thoughts. Father had told him he might find strange beings here but this...his breath was taken away. When he turned, his eyes locked on her, and he found himself riveted.

It was the first time he'd seen a girl-one who didn't try to kill him on sight.

Flaxen hair framed a heart-shaped, cherubic face from which eyes the color of crystal blue shone. She looked young, maybe a few years or so his junior, but what baffled him was the outfit. What manner of armor was that? It left her stomach wholly exposed. What purpose did the cape serve?

She was...well, she was certainly something.

Kara-Zor-El, otherwise known as Supergirl, stared back at him.

"What on earth are you?" she frowned. "You don't look like any alien I've ever seen."

Naruto scowled and dropped the chakra cloak. His helmet followed suit moments later.

...oh, you'll soon realize that there's nothing like me."

"Why are you attacking these people?!" she demanded to know.

"Attacking? They struck first. I defended myself, as was my right."

"You killed those people!"

"They were trying to kill me." he pointed out. "I fail to see the difference if a few worms d-OOF!"

His head snapped backwards as a surprisingly powerful blow streaked down and caught him in the chin; another buried him in a building. Naruto grimaced. His own fault; he hadn't been paying attention the girl, hadn't deemed her a threat. Standing, he extricated himself from the ruined apartment, uncaring for the disbelieving looks of its tenants.

By the time he'd climbed out, Kara was waiting for him.

"Surrender." the kryptonian demanded. "You can't win."

Naruto felt a trickle of excitement work its way into his dead heart. He reached up, stubbornly scrubbing a line of blood away from his mouth.

"Can't I?"

She lunged and he vanished, his body rippling like water, reappearing behind her.

"How did you...?!"

"Its amazing what you can get done when you don't concern yourself with right or wrong." he hummed. "But if its a fight you want...

Kara's eyes slid to the left just in time to see a pair of boots slam into her face. The impact knocked her out of the air and she flew backwards several feet, smashing into one of the many abandoned vehicles that had been forsaken by someone to escape from the blond. Naruto stood over her smugly, arms folded across his chest.

...I'll be more than happy to oblige."

**A/N: And so there you have it! Naruto raised on Apokolips...oh, this can't end well. One can only guess how he's going to turn out. Will he become an evil tyrant like his "Father?" or will he find some solace on the side of good with others? Only time will tell!**

**Pairing is wholly up in the air! Tbh, I'm leaning towards Lashina, but I'm open to suggestions. This is a SMALLxharem fic, two or three girls at most. EDIT: I won't accept any flames on the matter by a certain reviewer DoomMarine54, so that guy can go sod off. Remember guys, I write these stories to entertain the masses and because it is FUN; I like weaving these long yarns, not just for feedback, but because it is a true pleasure to excerise my talents for free when I'm not PUBLISHING books.**

**Of course, any and all feedback is greatly appreciated! =D**

**So...in the Immortal Words of Atlas...**

**...Review, Would You Kindly? **

_**R&amp;R! =D**_


	3. Might Makes Right

**A/N: ****HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME! ****MISS ME GUYS?!**** I'm sick almost daily and I feel like crap, as to that effect. But nevertheless, despite this pesky little hiccup-I wanted to get word out any way I could, and since for some strange reason the site is being buggy, I wasnt able to work on this anywhere near as much as I would've liked. Still...so many reviews!**

**I love you guys so much! *Cries***

**Now, this chapter might be a bit confusing consider I haven't done something like this in awhile. With good reason! Life and surgeries have once more paid me a nasty little visit, and this idea has been on the backburner for ages since. This was REALLY had to write; exhausting, actually, trying to get a good feel for what Naruto might be like growing up under Darkseid's tyrannical persona. But, I'm proud of it, and I hope you enjoy it as I finally get some rest.**

**This story was birthed from the fact that I've been rewatching Justice League as well as the Superman series as a whole and it just sort of...popped into my head.**

**Well...here ya go! =D Sorry if its short! But hey, at least I'm back! And now, I present to you...**

**...Son of Darkness**! Ah, and while we're on the topic, the Furies. Lashina, Gilotina, Mad Hariett, and Stompah. Those are the ones in this particular ficlet. In terms of appearance I'm going with their designs from Batman &amp; Superman: Apocalypse. And Darkseid, in my mind is, as ever, voiced by the impeccable Michael Ironside. Another warning. Naruto is DARK in this. He may change. He may not. Now that I've given thee that last disclaimer...****

****...away we go! Ar, THAR BE VIOLENCE APLENTY IN THIS CHAPTER! Also, a shout out to the show, Supergirl. Preeeeeetty sure I'm gonna catch come flak for supporting it in the first place, but I for one ENJOYED the show and still do. **Melissa Benoist is a marvelous actor** and Her fight vs the Red Tornado served as a MAJOR inspiration for one of the scenes that follows...****

****...and I remind everyone that this Naruto...well...he has his good points...****

****...and sometimes...well...****

****...he likes to screw with the good guy's heads. Now, on with the fight!****

_"I'll say this once. Apologize."_

_"What?! Why should I do that?"_

_"For attacking me. Do that, and I'll leave."_

_"I...you...shut up! I don't have to listen to scum like you!"_

_"The hard way it is, then."_

_~the son of Darkseid._

**Might Makes Right**

Kara-Zor-El was beginning to fear she'd bitten off more than she could chew.

Not only did Supergirl find herself winded, against an unknown alien menace who matched her in strength and speed, but she'd picked a fight with him. To her great shame, he was made of sterner stuff than the villains she was accustomed to, and she hadn't been prepared for that. Worse still-she was_ alone._ Her cousin was nowhere near Metropolis at the moment which left the matter of this new threat her. She couldn't recall the last time she'd faced down an enemy who was her equal-she refused to even consider the possibility that he might be stronger-much less a drawn out battle.

She was also beginning to secretly suspect that said foe was a bit of a pervert, if the damage to her clothes was any indication. He'd already passed up on at least half-a-dozen chances to take her out, but instead, she'd only suffered minimal-albeit humiliating-cosmetic damage to her costume. He seemed to alternate between bouts of perversion and ruthless attacks; honestly she wasn't sure which she feared more.

If anything, he seemed to delight in the chaos caused by her embarassment!

She was not looking forward to continuing this confrontation, but neither could she bring herself to walk away from it. She'd started this, and she was determined to finish it. No matter how many hours it took.

For better or worse.

"Getting tired?" Naruto's voice hummed up at her, snapping the kryptonian out of her daze. When she found him he was below her once more, having alighted on a nearby rooftop. He rolled his shoulders as he gazed up at her airborne form, seemingly unconcerned as she caught her breath. Smug bastard. Entirely too full of himself. "I can give you a breather, if you want." he said. Blue eyes flicked to her sundered skirt and blouse with eerie intent. "I speak from experience when I say women don't like to fight with their clothes in tatters. "Perhaps you'd like a new outfit, too?"

Kara colored to the very roots of her hair. Bastard! He was doing this on purpose!

"Shut up!"

The blond shrugged, caught her punch, sent her spiraling away...

"Have it your way."

...and vanished.

**"!"**

Kara's eyes slid to the left just in time to see the haymaker slam into her face. The impact ripped her clear out of the air and hurled her backwards several feet, smashing down into one of the many abandoned vehicles that had been forsaken by someone to escape from the brutal blond. Metal bent around her like flimsy tinfoil, folding against her body, pinning her arms to her sides. A dull crunch of that very "tinfoil" reminded her that her attacker wasn't about to rest on his laurels and waist for her to escape her prison.

She had to move, needed to get loose before-

Too late.

When she next looked up, Naruto had already arrived. The armored blond now stood over her smugly, arms folded across his chest.

"Here. Let me help you with that." In one smooth motion he reached down and grabbed her metal cocoon, hoisting her over his head. Exerting pressure, he wrapped the car around her in a tight sphere. Body and legs both, leaving her head pitifully exposed. Then, he raised an arm. One leg swept back. The other rose of the ground, eerily resemblent of a pitcher's stance. Except this time, _she _was the ball. And if he threw her as she was...

...ohhhhh this was going to hurt.

"Hmm. I think I rather like this game." Naruto decided, hefting her overhead. "Say, what do you earthlings call the sport? Baseball? Care if I try my hand?"

Supergirl glowered fiercely at her captor, muscles tensing beneath the metal shell. "Hating you so much, right now."

"Now, now, there's no need for harsh words." her captor hummed as he took aim at the Daily Planet. "This'll hardly hurt_-aargh!"_

Breath gusted out of his lungs as heat lanced from her eyes, searing his visage. A moment of innatention as he clawed at his face. That was all it took. Metal exploded outwards as Kara forcibly ripped herself free from her prison, her entire body bristling with fury. Snatching up one of the larger chunks, she swung down at her fellow blond before he could recover. She never even paused to consider the life-changing consequences of that single, furious action.

All her strength, all her physical power, poured out in one instant. Every cell in her body, united in one instant, one collision.

Hard.

Impossibly, he didn't dodge.

Kara struck straight and true; the dull sound of broken bones and ruptures muscles greeting her enhanced senses as unyielding metal collided with flesh. Naruto's head spun westward with an audible snap. Time slowed to a crawl, recognition dawning in her eyes. Then it sped up again, and she was left holding the blooded rod in her hands. His body folded in on itself like a house of cards, crumpling to the ground immediately. It did not rise again. Kara hung there in the air, frozen.

_'What...no!'_

Her impromptu weapon dropped from numbed fingers with a cry of sundered steel. Kara barely heard the metal clang at her feet, loud as she was. Her mind clamored that she hadn't done anything wrong, that this was _not _her fault. It couldn't be, right? Of course it wasn't! Shit. Oh shit shit _shitshitshitshitshit!_ Try as she might to ignore it, the ugly truth was still there, staring back at her from the warrior's dead eyes. Dead by her hand, no less.

Because she'd killed him.

For a terrifying second, Kara found herself rooted. Unable to move.

A few terrified civilians dared to poke their heads out from the wreckage. Others dared peer out of windows. All saw the blond's broken body in the street. All of them were drawn like moths to a flame. Kara saw it, too. Felt their eyes on her, judging. Condemning. It could have been her imagination. Maybe they were really grateful and she was simply overreacting-no. Her eyes strayed back to the corpse at her feet and she felt a fresh knife of guilt slice through her ribcage.

"W-What?" she stammered out. "No...I...I didn't mean to...

Then Naruto twitched.

Oh.

"That...hurt." the words were a growl. "That actually, really hurt."

"What the hell?!" Kara couldn't help herself; she yelped and physically leaped away from the corpse in her haste. The crowd scattered! She barely noticed. Her attention-gaze-remained glued to the spasming body at her feet. No. He couldn't be alive. Not after something like that. It just wasn't possible! Yet clearly it was, for Naruto's trembling arms reached around and took hold of his broken neck. With a savage wrench and a twist, he snapped it back into place...

...and hopped to his feet as though nothing had happened.

_ Crunch._

"Ow." he grunted, angrily rubbing his jaw and massaging his jugular. "You...you were actually trying to kill me for a moment, there!" to her ears, Naruto sounded almost amazed; he genuinely hadn't expected her to go for a killing blow. She watched his body draw itself up until her seemed to tower over her, cracking with red sparks. Incredulous, she drew backward. Had she tried to kill him? Had she? The very notion that she'd resort to lethal force so easily galled her.

_Frightened her._

"N-No I wasn't!" she decried his words, shrieking! "You're lying!"

"Actually, I'm compli-

"SHUT UP!"

Kara didn't even recall physically grabbing the oil tanker off the street-it was suddenly in her hands, and she was bringing it down on him. Ten thousand pounds of polished blue-and-yellow metal crashed into the blond as he raised his arms in a feeble defense. THOOM! Metal and fire rained across Supergirl's vision as the fuel detonated in a massive explosion, fiery shrapnel slashing her cheeks and opening the bridge of her nose. Red slashed across her vision as she struggled to see into the blaze.

What she saw chilled her to the bone.

Naruto rose like a wraith amongst the inferno, his armor scorched and pitted. What was left of his cape fluttered away from his shoulders as he shrugged off the shattered bulk of the tanker, disintegrating in the breeze. Face singed and hair smoldering, he stomped towards Kara.

"That wasn't very nice." the words rumbled ominously as he spoke, like two boulders grinding together over an avalanche. "I do believe you killed my cape. I _liked_ that cape."

Kara twitched, unable to move as he raised those arms.

"Th-This is going to hurt, isn't it?"

Azure orbs flashed with fire. No...

...wait.

They actually _were_ glowing!

Just when she was sure he would smash her halfway across town, however, Naruto paused.

"That depends." he asked, frowning. "Are you prepared to apologize for attacking me, unprovoked?"

Was that what this was all about? Because she'd struck him first? Seemed a stupid reason to start a fight. A thorn of pride, stubborn, foolish pride, pricked her and held her back. Why did she have to apologize?! He had started this mess by coming here in the first place! This was HIS fault! Not hers! HIS! He'd come here to start trouble, and she was protecting Metropolis! From him! What did it matter if he hadn't struck that first blow?! No, it was a lie!

Villains always lied!

"Like hell!" she cried!

**"THEN WE CONTINUE!"**

WHAM!

Getting hit by those fists was like taking a hit from her own cousin. In short, it hurt.

A lot.

Just one punch hammered her into downtown; she could already feel the bruises forming as she flew. Hypersonic speed brought her back to him in an instant, and she had the sweet satisfaction of seeing Naruto's bright blue eyes bulge as her counterattack launched him into the clouds. Yes! It felt good to land another solid hit on the walking tank, to see his calm facade crumble.

Alas, his ascent was a short-lived one.

He'd barely ascended more than a meter into the air before he flung out his arms, steadying himself. Blue eyes burnished red as he hung there, awaiting her.

_**"Try harder, damnit!"**_ Was it just her, or did his voice sound different? Darker? Hoarser, somehow? _**"This isn't enough!"**_

Ignoring her rising dread, Kara raced up to meet him.

"Ohhhhh, you are so dead!"

Heat lanced from her eyes, a searing red line cutting across the expanse between them. Naruto scoffed and slapped it away with the back of a gloved hand. There was no mirth in those eerie eyes now. Only anger, and what might have been disappointment. He paused, glanced down at his smoldering palm. There wasn't even a burn! What was that armor made of?! There had to be some way to penetrate it, to hurt him! It was either that, or keep aiming for the face-

"Pay attention!"

Naruto was suddenly on her again; he grabbed her by the throat and lifted her into the clouds with one hand. Kara's feet dangled in the air as fingers that felt like bands of steel wrapped around her throat. A strangled gasp escaped her lips. Wildly, she kicked out at him, her feet bouncing harmlessly across the fox-emblem engraved into his chest.

"Is this a game to you?" his voice was a whisper, flat and unamused as she struggled for breath. "Do you enjoy playing the hero?!"

"QUIET!"

Her gloved fist plowed forward, denting his face.

She barely moved him.

Naruto's scarred visage turned back to her, and it was then that she realized her mistake.

"Was the supposed to hurt?" he struck back before she could finish, sending her spinning away. Kara's follow-up kick breezed past his head and he grabbed her by her tattered cape, hauled her face into a boot. "You're not even trying anymore. Get angry!" Another strike, clenched knuckles smashing into her kidney. "Hit me!" his head snapped forward-the headbutt sending stars spangling across her vision. "I want you to hit me! HIT! ME! Kill me! Fight with everything you have!"

"Gah!"

Hell rained down around Kara with abandon now; a wild, cruel offense that offered no pause, no preamble, only attack. Attack, attack, ATTACK! There was no flow to the blows. No pretense, no set or stance, only a fury she couldn't comprehend. A storm of vicious strikes deisgned for one purpose and one purpose only.

To kill.

Against such an onslaught, Supergirl could only do so much. For all her strength, all of her speed, she was no Superman. She didn't quite have the same iron resolve as her cousin-she lacked that indomitable drive that drove him ever onwards. She was breaking. Each blow sapped more and more of her strength. Her body began to shudder as she hunkered down, stubbornly weathering the storm; a rock against the tide. But the rock-her resolve-was splintering in the face of the hurricane.

Anger took over.

"DAMNIT!"

A lucky blow slipped through, clipping his shoulder. Naruto recoiled, just a bit, and she seized the gap, hurling herself across the street. Incredibly the battered blond didn't follow her, but if the stream of curses was any indication, he wouldn't be still for long.

One chance.

Hit him.

Hard.

Finish him!

Once more, heat built behind her eyes, but this time, it burned brighter. Hotter. Like a small sun cooking behind her gaze she felt the pressure begin to build._ 'Okay, Kara. Focus. Just like Kal taught you. You can do this, you can do this!'_ She drew herself up and grit her teeth, glowering fiercely at her fallen foe. Naruto paused as well, taking stock of this new phenomenon. This change. Kara watched him in turn. For a moment, neither moved. In the distance, one of the overturned cars exploded, bathing the sky in flame. The invader turned, regarding the sudden burst of orange with some surprise-

_-and Kara hit him._

Anger blasted forth from her eyes in a vicious blue beam of light; a horizontal line that arrowed straight into the blond's chest and staggered him. But instead of extinguishing, the sapphire light drove onward, smashing into her adversary, boring through like a lance. Driven to a knee he slumped, buckling against the sudden flare of energy. His entire body seemed to glow as though lit from within, tongues of blue fire licking across that armored chest.

Then, incredibly, he _stood._

A small smile graced Naruto's whiskered cheeks, a wry grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. Just a smile. Then, he started forward. Slowly at first, but with increasing speed. Kara blanched veins spiderwebbing at the corner of her eyes, her vision tunnelling. It should have done something more than this! Anything! He shouldn't have been able to move! But the armored entity was doing just that.

_He was moving._

One step.

Two.

Time screeched to a halt again.

How many steps before he reached her? How many before he ripped her apart.

Something broke.

Not like this.

NOT!

LIKE!

**_THIS!_**

Kara screamed, her voice turning shrill, unable to hide her emotions.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!"

All of her rage, all of her anger, all her despair; every fiber of her being, channeled into one blinding, soul-searing shout. Naruto slowed in the face of this new onslaught, his once-inexorable advanced slamming to a halt as the beam intensified, piercing his defenses. Metal liquified and hissed at his chest, his armor dripping away like water. But Naruto...he didn't go down. Kara couldn't believe it. She was burning him-scorching him-yet even so he refused to falter. Something had to give. Either her reserves or his endurance, one of them was bound to falter.

Eventually, one of them did.

"Shit!" Naruto swore suddenly, jerking to the left, howling in pain. Deprived of their target, the twin beams arced harmlessly past to immolate a nearby building. Supergirl barely noticed it when he fell, crumpling to the ground in a snarling heap of agony and misery.

She wasn't far behind.

Kara slumped to the street moments later, drained, the last of her energy slipping away despite her best efforts to retain. The heat sputtered and died in her eyes, exhausted. Whatever new power that had been, those eerie blue beams, they'd drained her. Almost completely. But she'd won. Hadn't she? Naruto-or whatever he called himself-was down. She dared to turn her head and confirm it for herself.

A mistake.

Through bleary blue orbs, she watched her foe stumble to his feet. No. That wasn't possible...

"Look at what you did." a note of genuine annoyance crept into his voice. "You maimed me!"

And she had.

Her improved heat vision had finally broken through, mangling her adversary.

But even then, it wasn't enough.

Despite losing his arm, shoulder, and a good portion of his collarbone, the blond got back up. Steam sputtered from the sundered wound, an ugly divot in his right side. Yet his steps were swift, his stride sure, and with each passing moment, the distance between them shrank. Visibly out of breath, he paused, lingering mere yards away.

"How...

She was too tired to even take credit for the blond's pained expression.

"The training is nothing." words issued forth through gritted teeth. "The will is everything. The will to act. Now...

...this ends."

His armor in tatters, Naruto flung himself at the frightened girl. Kara suddenly found herself retreating, feet shuffling backwards even as her eyes trained on the armored adversary hurtling towards her. She knew that she could resort to her flawless form of attack and continue the fight, but her mind was inexplicably filled with fear as she looked into the hate-filled eyes of her opponent. He was too close to dodge and she had not a second to spare. All she could do was lunge forward as well, her left arm stretched out in an attempt to grab and hurl him into the street. If she could retreat into the safety of the skies for just a moment then perhaps-

"Nice try."

Uzumaki Naruto buzzed into view in a sonorous hiss, his body blocking the blonde's escape route, his eyes glaring out coldly from behind the frightening cloak. With a sibilant snarl, he swung his hand backwards, a black and red claw rocketing out from the tip of his fingers; simultaneously incinerating every non-living entity within the dark energy and slapping her assault away as though she were a flailing child. Agony flared in her right arm as she staggered out of the ensuing explosion, disbelief visible in her eyes, her forehead bloodied.

"Up." a single word followed and her entire world shifted.

That was all she heard before his fist drove itself up under her chin. Blue sky whistled past her vision then clouds, then stars, her mind distantly registering her departure from the streets of Metropolis and into the upper atmosphere. Kara's golden hair spooled out around her, freed from velocity's constraints at last. Any further and she suspected she'd escape Earth's gravity entirely.

For a sliver of eternity she hung there, gazing at the stars.

Beautiful.

Then a red and black streak passed overhead. One moment she was up...

...the next, she was down.

Kara swore a black and condemnatory oath as she fell, sinking like a sinking stone. Laughter filled the air above her as Naruto's cloaked figure flew past, clearly intent to witness her demise. She had no excuse really. She'd been hanging over this very view, in this very sky, moments before. Except now that view was growing...larger. Rapidly. Kara couldn't barely bring herself to turn, knowing that the ground waited to meet her back, rushing up to to catch her. Weakened as she was, she realized the painful truth. It was going to be a short, fiery, thoroughly unpleasant descent to earth.

And she had no way of slowing her fall.

Kara had even less time to realize this as the ground filled all her vision and even less to react. She flung her hands out. A thin wedge of forced between her and death. Then she plunged into the earth. Her outstretched hands did nothing to slow her fall, but the wedge of protected her and drove her under the soil's skin like a splinter. The street erupted an instant after she hit-water mains rupturing as the impact slapped her as brutally as if a giant had clapped his hands together over the whole of her body...

Kara slammed into the ground with a thump. There was a white-hot flash of pain as she'd expected; concrete met kryptonian and both yielded; the street cratering beneath her return to earth. Somehow she'd survived the impact but only just. Just enough to wish she hadn't. Gasping, she rolled over, choking on the smoke and dust.

Naruto was already there, fist poised, ready to deliver the kill...!

Something broke inside of Kara.

"Okay, okay, stop stop stop!"

Desperate, she flung out her hands-what little strength she had left in them-interposing her palms between herself and the onrushing fist. Terror gripped her heart in a vice; she didn't know what else to do, what to say or try. Nothing left but one sincere, earnest wish:

_"I don't want to die!"_

Her foe didn't respond.

"Please!"

Knuckles brushed her nose.

For a frozen eternity nothing happened; he simply stood there, poised overhead ready to deliver the death-blow she so feared. When it didn't come, she dared to open an eye. Why? What was he waiting for? He'd taken her best and endured. Faced the beast inside and bitten off its head. She was finished. Drained. She could barely see straight-much less lift a finger against him. By all rights this was the perfect opportunity to demolish her. And yet, he didn't finish it. Was he...

...was he actually going to listen?

Then, slowly, almost painfully, his fist drew back.

"Say it."

"Say what?"

"That you were wrong." Naruto's voice was flat, almost emotionless. "Apologize."

"Just like that?" Kara rasped.

"There's no fun in thrashing a helpless opponent." came the reply.

"I give." she gasped, hissing as her broke ribs protested. "I'm sorry."

"Forgiven." pearly white teeth flashed in a disarming grin. "You gave me a fair workout, for what it's worth. Any more of that horseplay in this state and my life would've really been in danger. Well done! I haven't faced someone with this kind of fire in a long time!" He seemed almost...happy. It was a stark contrast from the serious, intense young man she'd encountered in the streets. Was this another act? Or, was she seeing his true face beneath the mask at last?

Not to mention other questions.

_'This state?'_ What did he mean by that? The strange cloak he'd utilized before? Perhaps something else? The idea that he might've been holding back during their brawl was a...uncomfortable thought. As was the idea that she'd just begged for her life from someone she presumed was a villain.

"I can't believe you're just...stopping."

"When you base your expectations only on what you see," Naruto scoffed, "You blind yourself to the possibilities of a new reality. Nature is constantly changing. Like the wind. And this." Muscle and bone bounced back like rubber, his ruinated side slowly stitching itself back together before her very eyes. Skin flowed over muscle like milk as she looked on; within minutes his body was as good as new. "You kept pressing the issue," he continued, "Anyway. Really wasn't interested in fighting you, before. However...

...however?" Supergirl swallowed. She had a bad feeling about this..

"That was then! Now, I think I'll keep you, kyrptonian!" he boomed! "You've got spirit!"

"Glad its not spattered over the ground-wait, did you say keep me?! HEY! I'm nobody's pet, buster!"

He surprised her again, then.

Because Naruto laughed.

"Whoever said anything about wanting a pet?"

A hand pressed itself to her temple.

"Sleep."

Blackness followed.

* * *

_(Later that Evening...)_

* * *

Clark Kent wasn't happy.

Which of course meant, that _Superman_ wasn't happy.

Night had draped itself across Metropolis, an opaque curtain that only served to solidify his own lingering doubts and regrets. Kara. He should have been there! Why hadn't he been there?! Disaster often called him away from the great city he called home. He'd never once had to fear for the city's safety then. There'd never been any need; he'd trusted her to handle things in his stead whenever he was away. Now...

Two words summed up his feelings quite nicely.

Nuclear.

Anger.

Boiling simmering, rage teeming just under the surface, ready to erupt. Words couldn't give depth to the magnitude of emotion he was experiencing here, at this moment. A red curtain seemed to drape itself across his very vision, like a dark shroud, growing bleaker with each passing second-eternity-that carried him towards his destination. To the one responsible. The one who hurt Kara. For what might have been the first time in his tenure as Superman, Clark was actually considering _killing_ someone else. The notion of it should have galled him, but the words of his foe haunted him.

The mere act of crossing the hall to the door was almost enough to make him lose control. By the time he finally reached the rooftop itself he was trembling; pulse pounding in his ears like the drums of a great hunt out for his blood. The message had been clear and blunt. Meet him atop the Daily Planet or he'd never see his cousin again. Even so, he hadn't once paused to consider that this might be a trap of some sort. Instead he had rushed in without thinking.

Who knew what horrors awaited beyond-

"Superman."

Clark spun, suddenly aware of the shadow behind him.

...!"

He peered at him.

He was colorful all right; from his form-fitting black and red armor to the artful cape he had introduced to the ensemble. He wore a weapon of alien origin on each hip, carried a bandolier of what looked disturbingly like _knives _wrapped round his chest, and clutched a strange, staff-like apparatus in his right hand. Only he knew what else he'd secreted in the inner compartments of that deadly mail. He could be armed to the teeth, some of those weapons might even be responsible for taking down Kara.

The only sign of injury on his part was the shattered right side, exposing a bare arm.

"I've heard many great things about you." the young man continued with a smile as he strode forwards, arms spread wide, the chained gauntlet on his right limb clanking softly. "Kal-El. The Man of Steel. The Last Son of Krypton. Funny, though." With a smart flourish of that eerie cape, he came to a halt, mere feet away. "I always thought you'd be...taller. What? Nothing to say?" That helmeted head tilted, regarding him curiously. "I would think that you'd have more to speak considering_-urk!"_

Clark had him by the throat before he could finish, ripping away the man's helmet and sending it clattering away off the rooftop. His armored adversary didn't even resist. What he saw there threatened to make him lose his grip entirely and send the contents of his last meal spilling out onto the pavement. His face! What kind of burns were those-no, wait. Questions later.

_"Who are you?!Where is she?"_

"Well, that was uncalled for." The once man didn't so much as bat an eyelash. "I wasn't going to attack you."

"Where. Is! She?!"

"Hands. Off."

A red pulse burst from his body, flinging them apart.

"My purpose here was to scout." the blond continued amicably, dusting himself off. "She stared the fight. I just finished it."

"I won't ask again-

Pearly whites flashed in the dark.

"No. You won't."

Breath gusted out of his lungs as a blisteringly fast fist slammed into his stomach, doubling him over. An elbow to the back of his head followed, smashing him down into the roof. The sheer suddenness of the blows all but stunned him; it was like being smashed by a tank. Somewhere overhead, he heard a loud crack of thunder, the sound of a boom tube opening.

A growl rumbled over it all. Naruto's voice, he realized.

"Know this Superman, I am not-nor will I ever be-your friend. I obey my own whims. The next time we meet, we WILL be enemies. And you will fall."

"Never!"

"As you say." a hand rose, almost lazily. "Tell me, have you ever seen a solar flare up close?"

"What?"

The light, when it came, was blinding. Searing.

"Impressive, isn't it?" Naruto's voice emanated within the light. "I picked it up...well, I suppose its not important now."

"Where are you?!"

"She hurt me, you know. Your cousin." he sounded almost amused, a rare note of genuine amazement trickling into voice. "Burned my face pretty damn bad. I'm still healing. Still, she's safe. That's all you need to know for the time being." A hand swatted him firmly on the shoulder. "Until next time. Oh...

...and my father sends his regards."

By the time Superman finally recovered his sight.

...the blond was long gone.

_So was any hope of finding Kara._

**A/N: And so there you have it! Naruto raised on Apokolips...oh, this can't end well. One can only guess how he's going to turn out. Will he become an evil tyrant like his "Father?" or will he find some solace on the side of good with others? **

**Only time will tell!**

**Pairing is wholly up in the air! Tbh, I'm leaning towards Lashina, but I'm open to suggestions. This is a SMALLxharem fic, two or three girls at most. EDIT: I won't accept any flames on the matter by a certain reviewer DoomMarine54, so that guy can go sod off. Remember guys, I write these stories to entertain the masses and because it is FUN; I like weaving these long yarns, not just for feedback, but because it is a true pleasure to excerise my talents for free when I'm not PUBLISHING books.**

**Of course, any and all feedback is greatly appreciated! =D**

**So...in the Immortal Words of Atlas...**

**...Review, Would You Kindly? And of course, enjoy the preview! Thar be TWO this time! Proof the story isn't dead! Try and guess what happened!**

**(Preview!(s)**

_Metropolis, Naruto thought, was a bit of a disappointment._

_Even disguising himself as a weak human did little to aleiviate the boredome_

_Merely by speaking with Kara -a truly foreign notion in and of itself- he'd learned a great deal about this supposed jewel of city and its infastructure. And what he had discovered was utterly baffling. All his life he had fought to survive. Merely eking out an existence was not enough-you had to dominate, or you would be dominated. Assassination attempts were his daily fare; there was no room for mercy on Apokolips. Death was a certainty, whether his own or that of anothers. The idea, the very inkling that anyone would do otherwise baffled him._

_Thus, the disappointment._

_Villains like Parasite, Metallo and Livewire were very real threats to the Man of Steel. Even Lex Luthor, powerless though he might be, was a threat if only because of his mind. They were, all of them, threats. Like that insipid Toyman. Dead. An easy kill. Yet Superman condemned him for it._

_And yet he would have them locked away so they could escape again!_

_MADNESS!_

_Did he not understand?! You HAD to kill your enemies! _

_A dead enemy could never attack you again. Never hurt you. Never betray you._

_His fist tightened at the memory._

_So focused was he on the past, that the Son of Darkseid nearly missed the blue bolt in his peripherals. He did NOT however, fail to notice the sudden charge in the air. In the next instant his face was one with the street in all its dusty glory, nose grinding painfully against the asphalt. The numbness was temporary, however, and he soon recovered. Slowly, deliberately, he climbed back to his feet, turning his head in the direction from whence the attack had come._

_Slim hands clapped slowly._

_"Wow, not bad, pal! That was supposed to kill you!"_

_A flash of bright blue hair registered in his peripherals. Ah. He recognized this description..._

_"Livewire, I presume?" _

_"Yup!"_

_Blue eyes tightened into slits._

**_"I wish you hadn't done that."_**

* * *

_"This world is unworthy of your protection, Kara-Zor El."_

_"What?"_

_"Your potential is wasted here." her patron's gravelly voice intoned. "You protect those who would shun you. You seek to defend yourself, but they cast you ought. Even your cousin deems you a monster after what you have done. What purpose do you have here?"_

_Her expression turned downcast._

_"I...that's not..._

_Naruto bristled._

_"Father, there is no need for-_

**_"Enough."_**

_For all that she'd seen of him, Kara had never seen someone silence Naruto so utterly. The whiskered warrior clammed up almost immediately, and though his red eyes roared high with the flames of defiance, he held his tongue and did not speak out against...well...whoever this was._

_Darkseid extended a hand._

_"Come with us."_

_Kara glanced down at the large hand offered to her._

_"I..._

_**R&amp;R! =D**_


	4. Hand of Darkness

**A/N: SO! MANY! WORDS! OVER TEN THOUSAND IN ALL! I CAN'T BELIEVE I FINALLY GOT THIS CHAPTER OUT WITHOUT DYING FROM EXHAUSTION! ALSO**** THERE IS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much snow up here! Guess I won't be going anywhere for a bit. Still, thanks for all the support and all of you who were worried about me!**

**I love you guys so much! *Cries* Now...**

****...a warning! Ar, THAR BE VIOLENCE APLENTY IN THIS CHAPTER! I feel I should also ********remind everyone that this Naruto...well...he has his good points...****

****...and sometimes...well...****

****...he likes to screw with the good guy's heads. Now, on with the chapter! We've got some interesting scenes a-coming. Oh, and as to my absence, I've recently taken to Game of Thrones, which is a REALLY twisted show when ya think about it, but its so bloody ADDICTING. So, yeah, why I've been away for so terribly long. But on the plus side, its given me some MAJOR inspiration to finally be able to write again, so here I be! Now...****

****...so I hope ye enjoy the lovely fruits of my labor! Plenty of intimacy in this chapter, and a surprise ending!****

_"W-What the hell are you?!"_

_"I am Entropy. I am Death. I am-_

_ZAP!_

_...getting real sick of you interrupting me!"_

_~?_

**Hand of Darkness**

_"What have I told you about holding back, boy?"_

Naruto bristled at this insidious insinuation, and the truth that rang within those words. Even so he did not move. The act of kneeling galled him yet he remained so, prostrating himself even as the fires of Apokolips continued to lick at his boots. The heat itself didn't bother him; he'd grown up in these pits ages ago-if anything it comforted him. No, his irritation ran far deeper that mere physical discomfort. It stemmed from the knowledge that he'd been found out so easily upon his return, and swiftly at that.

They both knew why he was here, why he'd been ordered to present himself before his father alone. In his battered armor, with no time to mend his wounds. Not that it mattered. Injured or no, each knew his body was the _real_ weapon.

So too were those angry red eyes leering at him in the black.

"I wasn't-

_"Burn."_

The blast came with such ferocity and speed that he wasn't prepared.

Naruto jolted upright and tried to turn around in time but his reflexes were a hair too slow. The twin forks of amber light curved at the last instant took him dead center in the chest. Every muscle in his body clamped down. Too late he realized his mistake; Omega beams were nigh impossible to avoid when wielded by a master, and his aggressor was just that. A master. _This_ fire, this razing flame, was more than just pain. Not an irritant, not a twitch, not even an annoyance.

It was pure, unmitigated, _agony._

The molten fire racing through his veins made Supergirl's enhanced heat vision feel a mere tingle by comparison. It boiled behind his bones, writhed beneath his muscles, seethed inside his very soul. T'was a force to be reckoned with, both everywhere and nowhere at once. Every cell in his body and each fiber of his being was suddenly wracked by this cleansing, undeniable fire. For every second that his body worked to heal, to fight, a worse pain wracked him in spasms. But even so, he did not cry out. His body smoldering, he dropped to a knee, shuddering in this quiet hell, but even then, he refused to scream.

And then, incredibly, the pains stopped.

"Do you wish to reconsider your answer?" Darkseid rasped.

Naruto gasped, sucking in a reflexive breath as the hellish twilight of the Omega Beams receded from his battered body. His skin smoked and smoldered, the scent of burnt flesh wafting through his nose. Unchecked, his regeneration hastened to repair what had been wrought upon his fractured form; organs sowed themselves back together, flakes of dead skin and muscle peeled away. It was by no means a painless proccess-the agony of slowly, gradually reviving yourself from the brink of death was a pain one wouldn't upon their worst enemy.

And all the while, the blond held his silence.

When at last he was confident he could speak without screaming, Naruto grit his teeth and raised his gaze.

"Look, I'm...telling the truth, here." he said at last, choosing his words with great care. "I did as you asked." carefully noting his superior's blank countenance, he dared to continue. "You told me to scout and I did. I met resistance. I returned to reassess my tactics and evaluate the situa-

**"DO NOT PLAY GAMES WITH ME!"**

Few beings in the universe were capable of making Naruto physically flinch, least of all with words alone. He could number the ones he knew on the fingers of right hand. Superman was one. Supergirl, weaker than her cousin, was another. The third, undeniably stronger than both kryptonians put together, was currently leering down at him and seething with near-nuclear anger. He was also the one being whom Naruto was genuinely afraid of fighting in any physical capacity.

Darkseid.

"I'm not, father." he kept his eyes glued to the ground, modulating his tone until it was devoid of even the slightest spark of rebellion. "I only did as you asked, ya know." His body braced itself for the pain, for any sort of explosion of wrath. Nothing came. Indeed, when next his progenitor spoke, he sounded nearly...

...calm.

"Had you used the _entirety_ of your skills, the kryptonian girl would be ashes at your feet, would they not?" Darkseid's words weren't so much as an inquiry as they were a statement. A condemnation, dry and flat. "Yet she is not and somehow, you are wounded. This leads me to believe that you restrained yourself. I expected better of my knight." a tilt of the head followed, even as the whiskered warrior opened his mouth to protest this unfair treatment. "Or is there another facet of this puzzle that you have yet to reveal to me?"

Naruto swore quietly, clenching a fist into the ground.

Damn _but he had him._

On some level he'd been willing to oblige her; Kara wanted a brawl, so she'd gotten a brawl. Had he utilized the full repertoire at his disposal, the outcome would have been different. Very different. Yet...he hadn't. And because of that, he was injured. He suspected her cousin would prove far more...formidable in that regard if it ultimately came down to blows. Striking with shock and surprise was one thing-but to face the Man of Steel in open combat wasn't something he was looking forward to. Neither was the rest of this conversation.

But thorn of pride pricked him and held him back, stealing his silence away.

"No. You do _not _get to question my resolve." he growled. "I never backed down, not-even-once and I preserved my honor!" Drawing himself up, the blond willed himself to meet that hellish gaze and gaze back again; to stare into oblivion and refuse to blink. "I've followed your instructions to the letter." A lone finger thrust itself outward at his progenitor, pointing indignantly. "I was never told whether I should kill or recruit any powerful lifeforms I encountered! I had to use my own judgement, old man, and work on my feet! I think it went pretty damn well, considering!"

"..."

The mighty form of his father shifted slowly on the throne as he weighed these impudent words, eyes like burning coals regarding him intently. Naruto leered back, fighting the telltale tingle in his spine that shrieked at him to flee while he had the chance. But he held his ground, and when that gravelly voice finally issued forth once more, it sounded almost amused by the outburst. Tilting his head, the dark lord leaned his jaw against clenched knuckles and gazed upon him anew.

"I can't remember the last time you dared bark at me."

"You kept yanking my chain." Naruto grit his teeth and quieted his own inner beast, the instinctual urge to lash out at such an affront. "Surprise, surprise, even the most loyal dog bites if you kick it enough."

Darkseid surprised him, then.

Because he_ laughed._

It was a deep, throaty sound, and it sounded...wrong.

"Fair enough." quieting, the dark deity returned his gaze to his prize pupil. "You've done well, at any rate...for your first incursion."

"I did better than well!"

"Were I hobbled by such petty emotions, I might disagree as you do. Fortunately," a large hand stretched outward, reaching toward the far end of the room as he looked on. "My vision encompasses a greater horizon. I see the time fast approaching when existence itself shall be recreated and _Darkeid_ shall be its architect. So, yes, my son you may have your precious Kryptonian. However," Abruptly that crimson gaze hardened again, agleam like lava flowing down a blood-soaked hillside. "Know this: Attempt to deceive me again and you will _pray _for death."

Naruto bit his tongue.

Darkseid had raised him from birth. He was his father. Others he had no qualms about casting aside if they ceased to be useful, but _him _he'd allowed him to live until his body matured, until he could defend himself from those who wished him arm. The mere act of letting him live until he could defend himself, of letting him _live_ while others perished had done more than influence him; it had marked him.

Still one wondered; if Darkseid would rid himself of one broken tool, what was to stop him from doing the same to him? Naruto knew that, and the thought kept him guarded during even the most lax of times. Because, deep down he respected the great oaf, and that respect bound him more tightly than any blood or oath.

But it didn't prevent him from speaking the truth.

"Hey, you're wrong about me failing. I _have_ destroyed her."

A gravelly sigh punctured the air between them.

"If you insisted on perpetuating this farce-

"Ohhh, no no _no,_ don't you fucking hit me with those beams again, old man!" Naruto snarled vehemently, flinging a hand in up protest when his father's eerie orbs began to burn brighter anew. "I did, and I'm telling the truth!" The blond ground out, "Just not in the way you expected. Hear me out!"

...clarify."

"Today I did more than attack Supergirl and level a few city blocks." to the dark lord's bemusement, his son didn't waver at the promise of pain, instead he drew himself up under the watchful eye of his sire. "Today, I attacked her r_eputation._ Whether she knows it or not, the kyrptonian took _lives _today during our fight. A _lot _of lives when that tanker went up." the very walls seemed to paint themselves with fresh flames as he drew near the throne. "All because of a fight _she _started."

"You are certain?"

"Hell yes! I was there, remember?" Naruto scoffed. "She threw the first punch. _She_ didn't care about collateral damage. _She_ was too busy trying to crush my skull. Until, she surrendered to me, that is. C'mon, think for a second here, pops." beaming softly, he dared step closer still. "The cousin of Kal-El...yielding to an invader. To me. What do you think's going through their heads right now? Can you say...traitor? She's resting safely for now, but once she wakes up, once she realizes what she's done...

Darkseid fell silent, contemplating this.

Naruto was many things, but a liar wasn't one of them. He was brutally honest. In that aspect he was a fool, but _his _fool none the less. He was an able knight, and a loyal one at that. Sometimes, he suspected the boy actually cared about him. Preposterous, of course. Still, he wasn't a schemer like Dsadd and the rest. Perhaps...perhaps the boy was right. Perhaps he didn't give him enough credit. After all, what better way to cripple Superman than by striking close to home?

"My son, the strategist." finally, the ghost of a smile graced his ashen visage. "You wish to turn her to our cause, then?"

"If mighty Darkseid wishes it." Naruto snarked, feigning a bow.

"Don't patronize me, boy. Is there another reason?"

"I'm...not sure." Naruto found himself shrugging. He wasn't rightly sure _what _he wanted to do with Kara. When he'd seen her in pain, broken and bleeding at his feet, he'd taken pity on her. Pity. That was dangerous. If, by any chance someone should discover his charitable act, there would be a reckoning. Darkeid was right however-she _would_ make a fantastic addition to his honor guard, assuming he could convince her. Somehow he doubted she'd see eye to eye with him just yet.

A ponderous silence passed between them, stretching the tension thin.

"I am changing your mission." Darkseid said at last, rising from his throne slowly. He took great pleasure in his son's resolve; despite their close proximity, Naruto didn't back down, even as he turned to address him in full. "There will be repercussions once the world realizes the Kryptonian's are not so noble as they might wish. We will capitalize on this. _You _will capitalize on this."

"How?"

"How do you think?"

"..."

The boy's silence was telling, Darkseid thought. He liked to imagine that he'd actually baffled the young tactician for once in his young life. Regardless of his confusion, the boy didn't balk, even when the dark lord's hand settled on his shoulder.

Blue eyes met red.

"Wars are worn with soldiers, my son." Darkseid instructed, his words stern as his own stony countenance. "Not just parademons but soldiers; and _generals_ to command those soldiers. Find me Superman's enemies and bring them to heel. If they will not obey you, I give you leave to destroy them."

"As you wish."

"Go." he gestured dismissing him. "Take your rest. Savor your victory. You may visit your prize in the morning. You can...enlighten her. Then you are to return to Earth at once."

"Wait...you said_...return?"_ Naruto blinked, a glimmer of concern flickering in his gaze. "I was under the impression I'd finished there."

Darkseid's smile would've made the devil cry.

"My dear boy, you haven't even _begun."_

* * *

_(...)_

* * *

"Shit, he's coming this way!"

"Whaddya mean he's_-MOVE IT!"_

Lashina hissed softly to herself and jerked backwards from the door as Naruto's rapidly approaching body filled the keyhole through which she'd been peeking. Too late, she remembered that she wasn't alone. Crap. The realization came too late as the whip-wielder stumbled; taking one faltering step back and slammed into Gilotina-the latter having been crouched behind her all the while. The result, it could be said, was nothing short of spectacular.

"Watch where you're-GAH!"

Curses flew as the two women toppled together in their haste to escape. Instinct abandoned them. As did their footing. For a terrifying moment the former Furies felt weightless, a fleeting sensation of empty air rushing against their backs.

Then they went down.

_Hard._

Both women landed in a tangle of arms and legs, sprawling out on the cobblestones, uttering oaths that would've made even the staunchest sailor cringe. Had anyone been present to witness this moment _and_ survived the initial outburst that would've followed, they might've laughed at the sight; two hardened warriors fumbling like fools on the floor.

"What the hell?!"

"You're the one who crashed into me, dumbass!"

But before either had a chance to anything more than snap at one another, the door whooshed open with a rush of hot air. The once distant boot-falls drew close, then closer still, until a shadow fell upon them, casting both women in shadow. Then, a voice.

...what the hell."

Lashina almost didn't want to look, but instinct_-ohhh, now it comes back!_-compelled her to do so. She gulped audibly, half-expecting a harsh word or, barring that, a knife at her throat any moment. When no such pain, nor the promise of one came, she dared to raise her gaze even further. What she found waiting there nearly stole her breath away. Naruto-his armor scorched and pitted almost beyond repair-stared down at them. But that wasn't what drew the whip-wielder's attention.

Because he'd been_ burned._

Looking as though someone had poured liquid fire over his face and left it there, the right side of his visage was frozen in what looked like an pleased rictus-an expression betrayed by wearied blue eyes. Even now that expression was mending itself. Healing before her eyes albeit slowly; raw, tender skin sowing itself in place, piece by painful piece. More proof that he'd been in battle...or incurred the wrath of Darkseid.

"My lord?" she dared to venture.

Naruto just stared, blankly.

At length, he blinked.

Sighed.

...okaaaay," he began in a slow, painstaking breath, pinching the brow of his nose with gloved fingers, "I'll bite. What in the nine circles of hell is going on here? Why were you waiting for me outside my quarters? Wait-wait. Actually, don't tell me. Lemme guess." Gilotina saw him come to a conclusion almost before his lips finished forming that sentence. "Were you two...waiting for me?"

Lashina shot to her feet as though she'd been struck by a lightning bolt, shame coloring her features at having been caught. It didn't m-make any sense! She wouldn't bat an eyelash at violence, but the mere thought of embarrassing herself before the one she'd sworn to guard was almost more than she could possibly bear. She felt like a foolish fledgling, nursing these feelings, and they were only made worse by that bemused look the lord of her life was giving her.

"W-Whatever gave you that idea?!" she sputtered madly.

"Oh, come off it, Lashi."

Alas, Gilotina wasn't nearly so coy in word nor action.

In one smooth, liquid movement the blond found her feet and all but glided to the whiskered warrior's side. Sapphire orbs snapped towards her, sharp and cutting like daggers. But she didn't draw away from the heat of his gaze. On the contrary the blade-wielding vixen drew closer, refusing to back down, even in the heat of the moment.

Neither did Naruto.

"Give us a kiss, loverboy." she cooed, nosing his cheek affectionately. "We missed you." When he refused to look at her she went a step further still. Warm, full lips ghosted across the corner of his mouth as slim fingers threaded through the messy mane of his hair, forcing his visage to hers. Forcing him to face _her._ "Aren't you happy to see us?" Naruto hesitated at these words, just a moment, an instant, a sliver of time. That was all it took for Gilontina to pounce.

"Gotcha." the word was a purr.

Grinning, she hurled herself against their liege and _pushed _with both hands, bodily throwing him to the wall with enough force to dent the metal beneath. Before Naruto could even think to open his mouth to protest this unexpected treatment Gilotina lunged forward the rest of the way and welded her lips to his. Firm. Demanding. At first, he hesitates, but soon recovers, matching her fervor. Gila's hips roll against his in a way that make the whip-wielder flush.

She'd always been the bold one.

_"Gods,"_ A breathy sigh escaped the warrior's lips as she drew back, fingers playing against his chest. "I missed that." Beaming, her sister-in-arms shot her a smoldering look. "Didn't you, Lashina? No need to be shy."

"I...ah...

After a moment's thought, Naruto's gaze found hers.

"I'm being rude to you, aren't I, my lady?" he said at length, sounding contrite. "Forgive me."

_Steam._

Lashina could _feel _the steam spouting from her ears as those ocean-eyes locked onto her.

"N-Not at all my lord, I-mmm!"

"None of that."

He bent down to kiss her before she could finished, a gentle, firm meeting of the lips that left the whip-wielder colored to the tips of her toes. His free hand-the one that was no longer holding Gilotina-graced her hips in a quick,serpentine movement, tracing down to her rear-not groping but pulling her close. Her lips parted for him on a moan, her legs threatening to buckle as his tongue twined with hers. Fire sang in her veins, heating her body a feverish pitch...

And then, incredibly he stopped.

Gilotina wasn't expecting the rebuttal. Neither was Lashina.

"Well, I'm afraid to say you're both going to be missing me for awhile yet, girls." Naruto muttered, disentangling himself from the warm forms of his bodyguards. "I'm going to bed. _Alone,"_ he clarified, catching Gilotina's quick, questing look. "It's been a...trying day and I'd like to rest. You may stand guard outside my quarters." Without another word he disengaged from the conversation and turned away.

He made it all of three steep steps before the blonde's siren call drifted after him.

"Pity. We were so looking forward to...accompanying you."

Naruto bristled.

"What do you hunger for, master?" Gilotina cooed.

Slowed.

"Whatever you want...we'll find it." Lashina echoed.

_Stopped._

"Well, when you phrase it that way...

* * *

_(...Late the Next Morning...)_

* * *

_She could see the bodies at her feet._

_Corpses piled high, friend and foe alike. Dead._

_ Somehow she knew._

_Dead at her hand._

_"This world is unworthy of your protection, Kara-Zor El."_

_Her gaze snapped eastward._

_"What?"_

_"Your potential is wasted here." her patron's gravelly voice intoned. "You protect those who would shun you. You seek to defend yourself, but they cast you out. Even your cousin deems you a monster after what you have done. What purpose do you have here?"_

_Her expression turned downcast._

_"I...that's not..._

_Naruto bristled._

_"Father, there is no need for-_

_**"Enough."**_

_For all that she'd seen of him, Kara had never seen someone silence Naruto so utterly. The whiskered warrior clammed up almost immediately, and though his red eyes roared high with the flames of defiance, he held his tongue and did not speak out against...well...whoever this was._

_The shadow extended a hand._

_"Come with us."_

_Kara glanced down at the large hand offered to her._

_"I..._

"Gah!"

Kara woke with a start, flushed in a cold sweat.

The last whispers of her dream/nightmare/vision still plucked at the edges of her brain. Her mind gibbered at the dark, twisted thoughts left behind by the night's specter. Were they her thoughts? Someone else's? Or a portend of something yet to come? The idea that she someone _knew _the dark man in her dream-that he'd talked about her casually taking lives-was almost enough to make her weep, She'd never kill innocents like that, not now, not ever!

Just a bad dream, she told herself. A dream. Not a vision. There was no way she would...

And yet...the fears persisted.

Consciousness returned in fits and spurts as she struggled for a hold on her mind; her body a stubborn, recalcitrant child that refused to obey her whims. When it finally did, when the pins and needles finally abated and she felt some semblance of strength in her limbs again, so too did her vision return. Once she could see, she almost prayed for the sweet release of sleep.

Because what she saw threatened to bring her worst fears to life.

Her arms bound in chains, legs shackled by a strange contraption she didn't recognize. And warm. Did she mention warm? The heat was all around her now, a humidity she just couldn't seem to escape, no matter how hard she tried. Was it night? Morning? She couldn't be sure. All she knew was flame and fire, the red walls of her prison stretching upward and downward, forming a domed ceiling miles wide and just as high, with nigh but a lone panel at the far end of the room offering her any hope of escape.

The darkness had an edge to it now in the dim light of the flames; as if something cold and implacable were watching her, waiting for her to lower her guard. For that first, fateful, _fatal_ chance to strike. Kara had never feared the dark before; then again, she'd never had _reason _to fear.

Now, suddenly, she did.

Here on Apokolips there were many things to fear.

A cursory tug on her bindings confirmed that her shackles were just as firm as she'd expected them to be. "Damnit!" A frustrated cry dashed itself against the back of her throat and she shook herself even harder, upon the table, rationale all but abandoning her. Perhaps her heat vision could-

Too late, the "door" whooshed open with a harsh clank.

"Ah, _there_ she is!"

A hunched old crone in yellow and green robes uttered these ghastly words, her hunched form followed by what could only be described as a human gorilla. A great big brute of a man, easily just as wide as she was tall, he barely fit through the door itself, having to duck his head and turn aside merely to fit through the opening. Not so for the old bat. That disgusting old lech of a woman continued to leer at Kara through heavy eyeliner and black lipstick, lips curled in contempt. Ugh! Just the sight of it made her cringe in disgust. Alas, trying to turn away only made her tormentor cackle all the louder.

"Hmm," a long-nailed hand pinched her cheeks and twisted Kara's head to the left, forcing her in the desired direction. "You're a bit on the small side, but I suppose you'll do. Oh, the things Granny has planned for you, sweet child! Such wonderful things! You'll make a wonderful Fury when I'm done with you!"

Kara spat at her.

"I'd sooner die!"

"We shall see, my dear." A cruel smile followed. "We shall see. Kalibak?"

The giant took that as his cue and stepped forward.

Heat lanced out from Kara's eyes...

...and died.

The flames in her eyes guttered out like fading embers, dying as Granny Goodness slapped a strange metal color around her neck. Kara gasped, only to experience stinging pain in her cheek as Granny struck her across the face.

"None of that!"

And still Kalibak loomed closer. His disgusting, rancid breath wafted across her face.

"You wouldn't!" she found herself pleading now, grasping at straws. "Naruto said! He said I was under his protection!"

He rumbled a laugh.

"Somehow, I doubt that. In any case, I'm sure he won't mind damaged goods-

_"Wrong, gorilla boy."_ A soft, mellifluous voice trickled into the room. _"I think he would."_

The world went sideways with such force that Kara felt her eardrums ring.

Kalibak was suddenly _-inexplicably- _on his backside, crashing along the stony ground with no control over his body. He jolted to a stop against a nearby wall, disoriented, his ears ringing. Granny Goodness was shouting something, and someone else roared out a battle cry in kind:

_"RASENGAN!_

Everything was so...muted. Everything was moving, but...slow. So incredibly slow. The air was thick and pressed her back against the table. Gritting her teeth, she squinted up at the creature looming over them. It was in armor, but it was no creature at all, for it was human. Its hand was coming down, cradling a strange sort of sphere-

Kara started violently as the bonds holding her arms and legs imploded; then she was airborne, flying up and free from her bondage. Strong arms pulled her down and into a warm chest. Her bleary eyes caught sight of the culprit himself then, staring down at her.

_Naruto?!_

In place of the broken attire she'd seen during their last encounter, he'd chosen something even more imposing, if that was possible. Vambrace, pauldrons, faulds and greaves all, he'd armed and armored himself nearly completely in sleek cobalt blue and black from head to toe. He'd even procured a fresh cape of the most verdant orange. Only his helmet was forsaken, freeing those eerie, glacial eyes to peer down at her. Eyes hot with rage. But not at her. His head swung up at muted noise of a groan, glaring bloody red daggers at the culprit.

"What is the meaning of this?!"

"Ah, Naruto!" Granny Goodness lamented, clutching at her aching back as she rose from the floor. "Why are you so rude to your poor, sweet Granny? What has she ever done to you?"

Naruto's mouth became a hard line.

"More things than I care to count. The list keeps growing." A fresh spark danced in his eyes. "I asked her to be kept safe, you twit! Not tortured!"

"Ah, but she was safe. Safe in Granny's capable ca-

CRUNCH.

Before Granny could protest further, the blond punched swung Kara out of the way and punched her in the throat. The old biddy's words choked off in a strangled gasp as she clutched at her fractured windpipe, gasping for air that couldn't quite come. When next the old crone spoke, it was little more than a weak, pitiful rasp as she gaped up at the blond:

"You...wouldn't hurt your dear Granny, would you?"

"Actually, I would."

Then he spun.

A single revolution drove a boot home, launching the cruel old bat across the room.

"OUT!" the word was ice.

With one last frightful glance over her shoulder, the old crone scurried out of the room.

Kalibak did not; instead he stood with painstaking care, glowering down at his "sibling" in fresh scorn.

"You too, banana-breath." Naruto warned.

"Hmmph." Kalibak grunted, refusing to look at the human. "You're only jealous that you didn't get to her first."

Naruto exhaled quietly.

"Kalibak." His eyes glowed red hot, as though fire itself were about to leap forth from them and consume him, devour his being utterly. "I am a humble and tolerant man, but there are three things I cannot stand. Fools who aspire to greatness, fools who challenge me, and fools who needlessly inflict harm on those unworthy of it. Right now, you're batting two for three." a single step forward made the larger man shrink back. "Want to go for one more?"

"Are you challenging me?" Despite flinching, the larger man still refused to back down. "In your condition? We both know you're still healing. You wouldn't last a second!"

Naruto seemed to consider those words. Then, slowly, almost painfully, he lowered Kara back to the table. When next he gaze upon his sibling, those wild blue eyes burned red.

"Your overconfidence will be your undoing, Kalibak."

"And that tongue is yours!"

A moment of silence passed between the two men as they gazed upon one another; neither willing to give ground. Naruto looked every bit the part of a dark knight-calm, resplendent in his dark armor and cape-helmet tucked beneath a battered arm, positively regal. By contrasts, Kalibak seemed just an overgrown bully, an ape trying to assert his dominance. Now that Kara thought of it, he really did look like a-_hmm_. Better keep that thought to herself before muscles mcgee got wind of it.

And yet after today, despite all he'd done, she truly believed the man had some good in him.

"Last chance." Naruto warned.

"NO! Father always favors you and your schemes!" Kalibak stomped a boot into the floor, a small tremor accompanying the motion. "I refuse to yield this time!" Naruto's blue eyes cut to him at this outburst, conveying a scowl in their dark depths. "And you, you don't understand the situation you're in! I could _flatten _you as you are now!" When it became apparent that the hulking gorilla wasn't willing to oblige Naruto any further, the blond laid a hand on his shoulder.

"I understand," Naruto clicked his teeth, "That if anymore words come pouring out your cunt mouth, you're going to lose something important..."

The Son of Darkseid growled, shaking the hand off his arm violently. Or rather, he tried.

"Don't touch me!"

Naruto dared a smile.

"That's three. Close enough~!"

_Then he pulled._

Kalibak screamed and Kara looked away, yelping as red light flooded the room. Shadows played across the walls and came apart in a spray of dark viscera. Then came the screams. When next she dared to look, Kalibak was once more backing away, but this time, he'd left more than his dignity behind. As she looked on, aghast, the giant staggered backwards with a feeble whimper, clutching at the ruined stump of his right shoulder.

"Look what you've done to me!" he wailed! "I'm ruined! I'll never fight again!"

What had once been his dominant _arm._

"It always amazes me how exquisitely fragile you so-called "gods" are." Naruto mused over the sound of his brother's plaintive cries. He held up the ruined limb for quiet inspection, gazing at the blood dripping from the mangled muscle and broken bones. "That was only fifteen percent, ya know. Not even a _fourth_ of my strength to tear you apart. What would you have done if I hadn't held back?"

_"Give it BACK to me!"_

"Go beg father for a new one!" Naruto snapped in reply, flinging the mangled limb back in the giant's face. "That's all you're good for. Or do you want to press your luck...little brother?" For a moment it seemed Kalibak just might. He drew himself up to his full, towering height, teeth clenched in a snarl. But then, incredibly, the hulking warrior retreated, clutching his separated limb to his chest.

"This isn't over!"

"Oh, it is."

Silence stretched on and on as the blond determinedly maintained his vigil, broken only by the giant's fading footfalls. Not once did Naruto turn round until he was certain the abomination had departed. Then and only then, did he face her. Kara scooted back at the blank look in his eyes. This cost her dear; for her hand missed the table's edge and sent her careening over the edge, toppling her to the floor. When she dared look up, Naruto hadn't budged from his post.

"Did he hurt you?"

Supergirl bristled, suddenly reminded of where she was. Who she was talking to. The enemy that had not only bested her, but taken her prisoner as well.

"W-What do you care?"

"I care a great deal." the blond replied with a weary smile, helping her back onto the table. "Now, hold still. We need to get this collar off before you experience any of the effects. You ought to be getting a nasty shock any second now that Kalibak's left the room."

"What? Wait what do you meaaaaaaaaa_aaaaaaaargh!"_

"Case in point."

Naruto snarled, and plunged the point of his hand through the thick collar binding her neck, driving tense fingers deep into the metal. The restraining device sparked and shrieked in protest, a myriad of lights flashing on its skin. Naruto twisted his hand and it went still. With a final, triumphant shout, the blond ripped the collar free altogether and hurled it to the floor and shattering it like brittle glass. Kara could see the apparatus within the metal now the strange, magical device that'd pierced her skin and prevented her from using her power. Dripping with blood.

Her blood.

"Oh god, I think I'm going to be-

Kara stared at the sight, panting, and then vomited violently, falling to her knees.

"Easy." Naruto soothed, rubbing her back with his good hand. "This sort of thing always happens when you remove this sucker. It'll pass." Supergirl didn't possess the strength to glower at him so she nodded, steadying herself against the edge of the table as the nausea ran its grueling, sickening course. It felt like hours until her stomach finally settled enough for her to take a breath, but in reality, t'was a mere matter of minutes. That didn't make her feel any better for relying on the enemy, though.

Naruto peered over her.

"Better?"

She swatted his hand away.

"No!" she burst out! "Its not! I'M not! You...you killed all those people! You kidnapped me! How can I be alright with that?! Tell me!" Merely _speaking _with the infuriating was enough to remind her of the crushing defeat she'd suffered at his hands. At that made her angry and in turn _that _made her want to lash out at him, to wipe that smug smile right off his whiskered face. He was right there! It would be so easy! So tempting! All she had to do was take a swing and yet...

One look at him told her that was exactly what he wanted; indeed, by contrasts her captor had weathered the storm of her accusation with ease. That only made her angrier still.

_"I hate you!"_

"Noted. And to be fair," he pointed out, raising a finger, "I only killed the idiots who attacked me _before_ our fight. During that, you killed a fair score yourself. Me? Not a one."

"I did not!" she decried!

"Oh, come on, princess! Denial is the first step to-

_SLAP._

Naruto didn't dodge the punch when she through; he just stood there, ready to take it full on the face. But this time, instead of breaking bones, he didn't budge. Not an inch. Instead, her hand collided with a wall of red light and plunged through. It was like dipping her hand in a vat of acid. Acid that was eating her arm; sheathing it in red light. Burning it. Nurning her, hurting, hurting, HURTING-

_"Aaargh!"_

Kara screamed, yanking her limb free. The burns remained, sheathing her limb to the elbow.

"You did it again." the jiinchuuriki muttered softly, banishing his cloak. "Just now, you tried to kill me. Except this time, I didn't let you. Tell me, how does it feel to be so violent all the time?"

Kara shuffled backward, clutching at her injury. "No, that's-

"Does the tanker ring a bell?" at her flinch, he pressed in, growling against her weak denial. "It does...doesn't it?" Kara shied away, but he only came closer, snarling. "What do you think happened to all those people, hmm? When you slammed that thing on my head? Destroyed half the street? Threw me through those buildings?" A hand shot out, barring her escape, hemming her in, binding her wrist when she tried to lash out at him with her good arm. "Did you think you miraculously missed all those people?!"

"I'm just getting started. Now, answer me." Breath, warm on her face as he leaned closer, forehead pressing to her. "What did you thin would happen? That-oh, I don't know, some angel snatched them from their doom at the last moment?!"

"Stop it!"

And he did.

To her surprise, he released her, freeing her to stumble away.

"Face it, sweet thing, you're as guilty as I am."

Kara tore her gaze away from him.

Because she _did_ remember.

All those screams, the pleas for help, begging to be rescued. For their hero. For her. But she hadn't, had she? She'd been too focused on the fight, on the kill, on Naruto. She'd let them burn, let them die because she was too damn stubborn, a stupid girl who didn't want to lose_-oh god, what have I done, what have I done, whathaveidonewhathaveidonewhathaveiDONE..._

"N-No...no...I didn't...I wouldn't...

"Alright, I can see this is upsetting you." Naruto amended, ushering her into a chair. "Shall we discuss something else? Such as the reason for your, ah, accommodations? Let me see that arm, too. Chakra burns can be toxic if you leave them alone long enough.

Kara glowered at him, eyes burning with unshed tears as a green glow spread from his palm to suffuse her limb.

"Why _am_ I here?"

"Simple. My father lacks an appreciation for the finer points of bad behavior." the warrior answered stoically, steepling his fingers as he leaned back in his own chair. "He thinks you have to crush your enemies, grind them beneath your heel. But to truly know thine enemy, you must _become_ thine enemy. You need to how they think-feel-to _be _them. Anticipate them before they can react." he paused, regarding her quizzically. "Do you know _me,_ Kara? If you do, then you know why I spared you."

"I...

"Fine, fine!" he relented with a sigh seconds later, relinquishing hold of her arm. "Honestly, you earth types are no fun. No fun at all. Put the fun in camps, why don't you?!"

Kara was beginning to suspect that her host was, quite literally, insane.

"Is there a point to this?" she dared ask?

"To be honest, I want to corrupt you." Naruto confided, placing his elbows on the table. "Come to the Dark Side, we have cookies, as a someone once said. Actually," the blond added in a conspiratory whisper, "There's more to it than that. I want to do all manner of terrible nasty things to you in bed once you're firmly on my side, but that can wait till my plan's complete."

Kara froze.

...you can't be serious."

"Oh, I am. So are my plans for your planet."

"What did you mean by that?" When his smile only grew, she began to feel expressly nervous, not just for herself, but her cousin as well. "What...what the hell are you?" You kill people for fun, you talk about sex like its your favorite pastime, and you're treating me like we weren't fighting to the death the last time we saw each other."

Naruto laughed.

"Curious, are we? I'm many things, to many different people." tutting softly, he counted off on the fingers of his right hand. "Conqueror. Lover. Killer. Prince. Destroyer of worlds. But for now, I'd prefer to take the role of your friend here, rather than a warden. I could use a friend." he mused, softly. "Never had one before. Come to think of it, I've never had a girl talk back to me, not like you."

"Yeah? Well get used to it, buster!"

"Regardless of that, I can guarantee you this." he swore, ignoring her vitriol. "You will be safe here, on this planet, until I release you; you have my word. I'll even station one of my honor guard outside the door and a second with you at all times. No one will hurt you without my expression permission. Not even my father."

"And if I refuse?"

Blue eyes narrowed to scarlet slits.

"Then I blast your pretty little ass into atoms right here, right now. But that'd be such a shame, wouldn't it?" Just like that, the storm clouds vanished from his eyes. "I'd hate to murder my first friend." Kara had half of a mind to doubt him still, but the expression she saw was that of a child's; it had no place on a man. And yet there it was. A smile as pure and innocent as spun gold, brighter than sunshine.

For the first time, she felt a twinge of pity for her fellow blond.

_'Friends. He thinks we're friends. He's...he IS insane! What kind of logic did this kid grow up with?!'_

It took every fiber of Supergirl's being not to snap at him. To do just that. Refuse. But she knew in her heart her only chance was to hold out for hope of a rescue, or, barring, that escape on her own. So, she would lie. She would tell this madman whatever he wanted to hear until he was gone and then, she silently resolved to escape at the first opportunity.

...fine."

Naruto stared at her in disbelief...

...and smiled.

"By the Log!" he boomed. "You're already thinking about escaping! You _are _a sharp little thing, aren't you! I thought we'd be arguing for hours!"

Kara twitched.

"Go eat a dick."

"Oh, I _like _you!"

And for the first time in hundreds of years, the night of Apokolips came alive with the music of laughter.

* * *

_(...)_

* * *

As it goes below, so it does above.

Perhaps it was the reverse, in return?

Reflecting on that thought, that morning was one of the few things that distracted him since his return. He was beginning to understand why he'd taken such a liking to Kara. A single conversation had laid bare exactly what she thought of him and yet, he couldn't bring himself to fault her for it. The idea of someone outside of Apokolips physically and emotionally challenging him-disagreeing with him-_interacting _with him...well, it was like a fresh summer breeze.

And yet, there was something about her, something...more that drew him in. What was it? Was it her potential? Her capacity for violence that she so desperately kept leashed?

He didn't know.

"Hmm."

Even dwelling on these thoughts, even disguising himself as a pathetic human-it simply wouldn't do for Superman to discover him just yet-did little to aleviate the boredom. Part of him, the boy that he still was on the inside, longed to face the Man of Steel in combat. Prove that he was the man's better, superior. He'd always loved a good fight. It spoke to the darkest places in him. But he wasn't here to fight. As per his lord Father's wishes, there was work to be done here, and he was the one to do it.

Orders were orders after all, and he was fated to follow them.

It didn't diminish his disgust for this city, however.

Merely by speaking with Kara -a once foreign notion in and of itself- he'd learned a great deal about this supposed jewel of city and its infastructure. And what he had discovered was utterly baffling. All his life he had fought to survive. Merely eking out an existence was not enough-you had to dominate, or you would be dominated. Assassination attempts were his daily fare; there was no room for mercy on Apokolips outside of his inner sanctum. Death was a certainty, a currency whether his own or that of another's. The idea, the very inkling that anyone would do otherwise baffled him.

Thus, the disappointment.

Villains like Parasite, Metallo and Livewire were very real threats to the Man of Steel. Even Lex Luthor, powerless though he might be, was a threat if only because of his mind. They were, all of them, threats. Like that insipid Toyman and other low level thugs who'd recently escaped from Stryker's Island during his battle with Supergirl. An easy kill by any right, should he so desire the prey. So too would any number of the criminal's who were no doubt even now laying low. He could kill them. Most, perhaps even all of them. It would be easy. Some might even call it justice.

Yet Superman would condemn him for it.

He, who would have them locked away so they could escape again!

MADNESS!

Did he not understand?! You HAD to kill your enemies!

A dead enemy could never attack you again. Never hurt you. Never betray you. Friends, though...those were always the hardest to kill. _Especially_ when you showed them mercy.

His fist tightened at the memory, the memory of a boy who'd turned on a friend and made his first kill.

Would he have to kill Supergirl if she betrayed him like that? Would he, if Darkseid commanded it? He wondered. _Had_ he made a mistake in sparing her-no. In allowing her this close, he'd dared to think thoughts that'd been banished for decades

So focused was he on such thoughts, that the Son of Darkseid nearly missed the blue bolt in his peripherals. He did NOT however, fail to notice the sudden charge in the air. In the next instant his face was one with the street in all its dusty glory, nose grinding painfully against the asphalt. The numbness was temporary, however, and he soon recovered. Slowly, deliberately, he climbed back to his feet, turning his head in the direction from whence the attack had come.

Slim hands clapped slowly aways behind him.

"Wow, not bad, pal! That was supposed to kill you! HOW ABOUT THIS!"

Naruto coughed quietly, expelling a black plume of smoke.

"Oh."

Civilians scattered like flies as lightning pounded the ground around him. Some escaped. Others didn't and cooked beneath the bolts. Naruto didn't flinch. Instead, he stared into the eye of the storm and grinned. He had no fear of the storm, the clouds, or even the heavens above. When you grew up on Apokolips, such things were alien to you. Under Darkseid, the rule was simple. Lived or die. And if you wanted to live, then you learned to fight. To kill.

To feel no fear.

"Livewire, I presume?"

A flash of bright blue hair registered in his peripherals. Ah. He recognized this description. Hmm. She really did look like a living lightning bolt; all pale skin and electric blue eyes, wrapped up in a skintight black costume designed to flaunt seemingly mile long legs and black boots. Pretty thing. Judging by the vindictive look on her face, she wouldn't be one to go quietly. Good. A fight always served to calm the storm of his mind anyhow, regardless of circumstance.

"Yup!"

Blue eyes tightened into slits.

"I have a proposal foooooooooooo_oooooooo**OOOOOW!"**_

The attack caught Naruto in the middle of his sentence, and when he was least prepared. A viciously savage jolt that cooked his tongue inside his mouth, and boiled his eyes. All the world spun around him as his body worked furiously to repair the damage from this sudden system shock. Twitching, the whiskered warrior glowered at the impudent bluenette, striving to reign his temper in. Two halves warred within him; the side that was Naruto, what little goodness remained in him, fought to remain calm. The rest howled for blood.

"Could you _not _shock me again?" he strained. "I'm not in the best mood."

"Kay." she beamed, folding both hands behind her back.

Huh. Perhaps this would be easy after all.

"Thank you. Now as I was saying, its a-

_Bzzt!_

Naruto twitched. "I'm warning you...

"Alright, alright. For keeps, this time. Mind telling me who you are?"

"W-What the hell are you?!"

"I am Entropy. I am Death. I am-

_ZAP!_

Ever had your heart stopped? Just for a second? Its not pleasant.

_"I wish you hadn't done that."_

"Aww, did I hurt the bwue baby's feewings?" the blue bolt grinned wickedly, mocking him yet further. "What's he gonna do? Is he gonna spank me?"

_Ohhhhhh_ that did it.

Gloves!

Off!

In that instant _Naruto _ceased to exist. He stepped out of himself, and the Son of Darkness took his place. Frowning, Darkseid's eldest reached up with his right hand and freed the cape from his shoulders. Another twist of his torso detached the armor entirely, sending the dark, ebon carapace flying from his body in a dozen different gleaming pieces. Warrior or no, he was no fool; knowing any piece of metal would only handicap him in such a fight. No handicaps then. Mayhaps, had he been in his right mind, he would've realized the rashness of decision. But right now?

Right now he just wanted to punch something.

"I'll say this once." he warned. "Kneel to me and be spared. Refuse, and suffer."

"Like hell!"

Naruto raised bot hands hand and caught the retaliatory bolt in scarlet coated palms, attempting to snuff it out like a candle. The uncomfortable numbness that snaked up his arms was impossible to shake this time, as was the pain that followed. Fire with fire it was then. Or in this case...

"So you play with energy. Funny _th_**_ing_...**

Red shimmered up out of Naruto's arms to engulf his body entirely and this time, it didn't end. Livewire's smile began to slip as that red light grew into a shroud. Weird, that outline almost looked like a fox. As that eerie shroud became darker and darker, the very air itself beginning to boil around them, she realized the gravity of her prior misjudgement. It wasn't some stupid a fox. No simple silhouette. Nor was it some magical trick of the light. She'd gravely underestimated her foe, and now the bastard, this sick, twisted, absolute _bastard _was enjoying every moment of it at her.

**...I usually don't bring this out, but...for you...**

Fresh flecks of of skin smoldered themselves away to expose the raw, burning chakra beneath. Two-no, _four_ tails slithered into existence behind him. The very street crumbled beneath his feet, asphalt corroded by the sheer mass of energies being forced upon it. His body hunched over as his armor bubbled and warped around his morphing body. Fingers crooking into claws, cruel, nasty things meant for one purpose and one purpose only. The rending and tearing flesh. Namely, hers.

**...I'll make an exception."**

As Livewire continued to look on in silent and abject horror, the very fiber of Naruto's face began to peel away piece by piece, exposing burning white orbs and a fanged maw that not even a mother could love. And then that sick and twisted mouth curled up into a fierce grimace of a grin...and it finished speaking. This monster, abomination, this beast, this creature, this demon was laughing! at! HER! Shit. Shit, shit, shit! She had to try and calm down! Think! Do something!

Anything, for crying out loud!

No good.

The seed of fear had been planted inside her long ago. Now it had taken root and she was powerless to move. Her knees knocked together, threatening to buckle at the slightest provocation. And as though he'd sensed that very fear, the Son of Darkness began to move.

**"..."**

Slowly, painfully, Naruto straightened up out of his bestial crouch. That eerie rictus of a grin regarded her, curling cruelly. She felt like she was staring into the very face of hell. And it stared back. Bones popped, sizzled wetly as the body beneath the shroud adjusted itself to its new form. **"Ahhhh, now that's better. Feels so good to step out of my skin for awhile, ya know?"**

Leslie Willis shrank back.

"W-W-What the hell, man?!"

**"Any last words?"**

"Mercy?" the word was a squeak.

**"Let me think abou-NO."**

Livewire raised a hand, summoning all her might.

"F-Fine!" defiantly, she drew herself up. "I'll burn in hell before I fear you-_urk!"_

**"I AM HELL!"**

Naruto's vicious aura leapt back to life, the winds roaring louder and more intense than ever. The rapidly-darkening skies lit up with the unearthly light, this terrible radiance trembling at the return of the storm itself. A storm of the Gods. The next thing Livewire knew, she was flying back, her face now adorned by something best described, as a dent within her cheeks. The _next_ thing she knew, she was knocked upwards. A blinking red light was growing larger at the end of her vision.

The next, she was knocked back down.

And the next thing Livewire knew, for quite some time after that, was pain.

Even that was over before she could think to react.

A clawed hand latched around her skull and just like that, she was airborne. And earthbound. She never saw the blow, only felt it was a blistering roundhouse that, impossibly, crossed the distance between them in the single beat of her heart. All she saw was the crater; that she was in it. He loomed over her, claws drawn back, ready for the killing blow-

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Stop, stop!" she flung up her hands! "I give! I'll do the whole kneeling thing, I swear! Just don't kill me!"

Naruto hesitated for a heartbeat. Then, to her disbelief, his cloak smoldered away.

"I've spared someone already." the blond growled, hand tight on her throat. "Why should I show such mercy to someone like you?"

...because I asked nicely?"

"No. Give me a better reason."

"Uhm, I'll help with your plan?"

His grip tightened. "You don't even know what is is."

"Then tell me, dumbass!"

Amazingly, he did.

A beat of silence passed between them.

"Seriously? You want to screw with the boy scout? I can get behind that."

"I still don't have any reason to trust you."

After almost a full minute, they pulled away from one another, Livewire's eerie eyes looking deeply into his, his own flecked with anger, bordering on outright wrath. "I can think of something." she purred softly. "If you know what I mean." Naruto wore an expression of subtle disbelief on his face as he returned her gaze, her grin turning slightly devious as she leaned up and pressed her lips to his.

"What in the-mmph!"

His mind exploded into a thousand stars and his arm assumed direct control, spreading themselves across her back. He was so completely taken aback by the kiss that he hardly noticed when his left hand begun to cup her firm ass, even as her right palm took up residence on his jaw. He deepened the kiss on a moan and he pressed his body to her-pushing her back against the fractured earth of the crater. Her hands soon proved just as exploritive, her nimble fingertips running along his chest and stomach, questing for purchase.

A spark arched between their lips when Livewire finally pulled away, sizzling.

**"Electrifying."**

To her disbelief, the blond actually laughed.

_"That's one reason."_

**A/N: And so there you have it! Naruto raised on Apokolips...oh, this can't end well. One can only guess how he's going to turn out. Will he become an evil tyrant like his "Father?" or will he find some solace on the side of good with others? **

**Only time will tell!**

**Pairing is wholly up in the air! Tbh, I'm leaning towards Lashina, but I'm open to suggestions. This is a SMALLxharem fic, two or three girls at most. EDIT: I won't accept any flames on the matter by a certain reviewer DoomMarine54, so that guy can go sod off. Remember guys, I write these stories to entertain the masses and because it is FUN; I like weaving these long yarns, not just for feedback, but because it is a true pleasure to excerise my talents for free when I'm not PUBLISHING books.**

**Of course, any and all feedback is greatly appreciated! =D**

**So...in the Immortal Words of Atlas...**

**...Review, Would You Kindly? And of course, enjoy the preview! Thar be ONE this time! Proof the story isn't dead! Try and guess what happened!**

**(Preview!(s)**

_"Ahhhhh, so you **do** bleed!"_

_Silken laughter jolted the Man of Steel to his feet. Spitting red and ripping his glasses away, the Man of Steel he turned to face his attacker._

_"YOU!'_

_"What, were you expecting Batman or something?"_

_Gradually, the smoke and shadow resolved themselves into a humanoid shape; whispers of fog and flame peeling back to make way for their master. By the time Clark recognized that face, it was too late to do anything other than balk. Those eyes, those whiskers, that eerie grin. All of it focused on him. HIM! __Yet even the realization that he'd been wounded-genuinely hurt without kyrptonite-paled in comparison to the sight before him. Because there, in the man's arms:_

_"LOIS!"_

_"Sorry, Supes." Naruto sighed, stepping out of the ruin that had once been the Daily Planet, cradling the reporter's broken form. "Not about blowing that whole secret identity bit for ya. I'm NOT sorry for that. It's just," his eyes swept back to Lois, limp in his arms. "I don't like involving innocents in my affairs. But is anyone truly innocent in this world?"_

_"Put her down."_

_Pearly whites flashed in the flames._

_"Make me, boy scout."_

_When the punch came, he was almost surprised._

_Almost._

_For the first time since he'd met him, Naruto stopped smiling. A hand rose, slowly, taking Clark's hand away from his face. Still holding onto Lois, the Son of Darkness pivoted, putting all the weight onto his back foot; a simple gesture, but it spoke of the power behind the blow._

_ Eyes like cinders locked onto him._

_"I trained my whole life for battle, moron!" Impossibly, his grip tightened. "Where did you train, Clark? ON A FARM?!"_

_Then he headbutted him._

_Hard._

_**R&amp;R! =D**_


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